


TLA: Tender Love and Affection

by 0ya_script4



Series: Voltron: Legendary Writing Prompts [9]
Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Allura loves Lance AND Shiro, Alternate Dimension - Freeform, Angst, Bisexual Lance (Voltron), Blood and Violence, Established Allura/Shiro (Voltron), F/M, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Fluff and Humor, If you only read one work by me, In Each Universe Comes Different Ships., Lance (Voltron) is a Mess, Langst, M/M, Multi, Multi-shipping, Older Characters, Older Lance, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Polyamory, Protective Shiro (Voltron), Rating: PG13, Slow Burn, Swearing, What Have I Done, alternate universe - freeform, shangst
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-08-17
Updated: 2018-09-14
Packaged: 2018-12-14 20:57:22
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 26
Words: 102,417
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11791329
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/0ya_script4/pseuds/0ya_script4
Summary: Lance somehow get's stuck in an alternate Dimension where everyone is a teenager fighting against the Galra who want Voltron. Like... that makes no sense at all! Where he's from the Galra only attack because they want the entirety of the Altean race wiped from the universe, they don't care about a man made 'hero' like Voltron. And the other inconsistent thing is in this universe he's not married to Shiro OR Allura like he'd thought that would be a dimensional constant! But here he is seeing Lance rather cozy up to Keith than his Shiro....Alternatively: Lance finds Inter-Dimensional Travel a 'never do again' and does his damnedest to get home to his family.





	1. A is for Affection

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Universe 'A'

Lance really didn't want to wake up. Yesterday sucked. But here he was awake, not being able to fall back asleep. He just huffed out a sigh and turned in his shared bed. He quickly groped to his left and found his strong and reaffirming bolder of a husband still sleeping soundly beside him. Lance shifted himself to cling to his husband and melted into the comforting warmth that his adorable sleeping man gave off. Lance quirked one eye open and saw his wife, as well, sleeping on the other half of his--sorry, their husband's chest as if she couldn't be in a better place than this. Takashi was really the best pillow and cuddle partner ever.

Lance let out a sigh and sunk into his husband's touch yet again, glad that both his wife and husband were here with him.

"You okay?" Takashi whispered

"Yesterday sucked....." Lance deadpanned, not dancing around it

"Yeah..."

"All we did was run from Zarkon, he got really powerful really fast. I didn't think he'd have something to rival Voltron that quickly."

"Well, Voltron is ever growing. The more Katie and Hunk tinker with that thing the more it's going to get insanely powerful--"

"Up!!!" A not so quiet squeak called from the foot of the bed "UP DADA!!"

"Yours or mine?" Takashi asked looking to the ceiling

"Both," Lance smiled as he moves slowly shushing the two bodies at the end of the bed. "Shh, darlings, Daddy's and Mommy are sleeping," Lance whispered as he pulled up a boy not older than 4 and a little girl no older than two. "Plus, how'd you get out of the room?"

"Uncle Cran!!" the boy yelled

"Shhh, Ronney, nu-night voice. Mommy is still sleeping."

"Sorry!" The boy, Ronney, put his hands over his mouth with an exaggerated gasp.

"Do you want Ama, Takashi?" Lance looked over his shoulder to his husband, and also found his wife looking at him as well, "Well, good morning beautiful, you radiate the sun as usual."

"I know," Allura smiled fondly as she kept her cheek very much close to Takashi's chest, "Why are the two so rowdy this morning?"

"Not sure, but it seems we might have Coran to thank for that, right Ronney?" Lance picked up his little twin. A boy of deep mocha skin and bright pink Altean eyes. His pale brown hair curled at each and every end as it tried to mock his mother and father's hair. Small pink Altean marks glowed below each eye tantalizing and adorable.

"Right Daddy!!" Ronney giggled "Dada, can we go see Yoshi??"

"No, he's with his Daddies, who are asleep." Takashi closed his eyes, "As we should be." He felt a light tap on his cheek and then small fingers trace over his nose in the exact line of his scar that Keith accidentally gave him all those years ago. "Ama," Takashi warned lightly as he picked up his little girl. Her eyes stared at him as she was placed on his chest. Ama looked nothing like Takashi, his heart hurt because of that, but she looked everything like her mother. Her white hair attempted at being straight but curled at every end, her eyes mimicking Allura's blue-pink eyes but only in the center near the pupil, outwardly the were a deep gray like his swirling and molding with the pink. Her skin not as dark as her sibling, but not as white as Takashi felt when sandwiched between his husband and wife.

"Oh, my heart!" Lance called out as he picked up Ronney and sprinted to the closet of their shared, and spacious, room.

"Lance?"

"I almost forgot, like who could forget... honestly!"

Lance stood 6'3", his muscles grown out and thick and his hair cut as if to mock his husband's old hair style. The under cut soothing but also a mistake that Lance just went with. That's what he get's for asking Keith to cut his hair with one of his knives. Lance's face was adorned with scruff, but every other week he'd shave it off and look very baby-faced it was almost nostalgic to when the two got married almost 10 years ago. Lance was never scared to share a bed, and share it sleeping naked nonetheless. He started wearing small shorts or his boxers when the kids were born because he didn't want to "scar" them so this morning Takashi and Allura were graced with the sight of their husband standing in simple booty shorts that left about as much to the imagination as skinny dipping.

"You have another scar..." Takashi commented sitting up with Allura still clinging to him still. He didn't think about the comment but more the fact that he'd just realized  _how_ bad it is.

Lance shivered at remembering a few nights ago and how he and Keith were rushed to the cryopods. "I know...." He knew it traced almost his entire back, but then again when didn't he have a new scar from a battle? He had a couple on his arms, a few on his lower torso, a small one just above his eyes and through his right eyebrow and now the one on his back. Lance looked back to his husband. His white tuft the same length as it was at their wedding, but now the rest of his hair the same length. In the morning Takashi's hair draped down his face and made him look more tired and broken than he actually was, but when out of bed and ready his hair was pushed behind him in a very young look as if he were clinging to his twenties still. He knew his husband's scars were much more vast than his own, he'd explored that body enough to know every single one, to have kissed them until Takashi was not embarrassed or ashamed of every scar. Lance knew everything about Takashi. _Everything_. He knew about his two-year kidnapping, when Lance practically went insane, by the Galra. He knew that Takashi practically adopted each and every prisoner and did his damnedest to keep them all safe. Takashi had been through a lot more than Lance, and he knew every piece of it, Takashi didn't want to keep it a secret--well, that's not true, Takashi wanted to but he knew it wasn't healthy for him to keep his husband out of the loop, so he told Lance everything.

"Hey," Lance shivered when he felt the soft, and almost 'uncontaminated' skin of his wife loop around his stomach and bring his back to her chest in a comforting hum, "You're still very ethereal, Lancy Lance."

Lance shimmied around, Ronney sandwiched between his mother and father and Lance leaned slightly down giving his wife a small 'good morning' peck.

"Bless your beauty, Allura, it's what keeps me going." Lance looked to Takashi, "I'm so glad I married the both of you, I am the luckiest man alive."

 

Lance could never forget the day he and Takashi were married--FINALLY married. Lance's parent's told him that he could get married at 17 if he wanted, that he didn't have to wait for his birthday to have the wedding. But Lance wanted to do this right. He and Takashi had been secretly dating at the Garrison for, like, ever. Lance just slipped up one day at home and his family was totally over joyed that their little boy had chosen Takashi Shirogane as his forever partner. It was hard to not coo at the better pilot, not to slap that ass that he'd been craving for way too long, and it just hurt to keep them a secret. Well, on their very VERY public wedding everyone found out why it was that the two seemed to ignore each other in public. There was a scandal on Takashi's end, people accusing him of taking advantage of a minor, but it didn't deter them from marrying that exact day.

They became a team at the Garrison, a team of a pilot and a marksmen. They pulled in friends and family that would make their teaching/ research/ co-op team stronger: Katie and Matt Holt, twins with insane intellect, joined simply because they wanted to be able to go through Garrison records searching for their missing father and not be kicked out. Takashi welcomed them in with open arms, helping them try to find their father as he knew Sam Holt too well to not try and help. Hunk Garret joined, for two reasons, one being Lance asked him to because Hunk was one of the best Engineers that graduated from the Garrison and the two practically grew up in the same home and secondly, because Katie pulled him in when one of her machines was pulled too far apart for her to put back together. He turned into an amazing asset to have, not that anyone had any doubts. Keith Kogane joined because Takashi wanted the boy to have some way to get rid of his anger and insane lack of control. Keith graduated top of his class, so it wasn't like he didn't know how to fly or how to do any of the calculations, he just had the worst anger and impulse control. Keith and Takashi spared too often with real weapons for Lances comfort. He warned the two that one day one of them would get hurt, which lead to Takashi gaining the scar across his nose, a memory that they all can laugh about now. They made a really good team, a lot of people asking to join and a lot of assignments were sent their way. It was three or four years later when they were called to the galactic space station because of a distress signal that, apparently, only Takashi's team could decipher. They all had been to the station once before when Takashi was awarded the Medal of Intergalactic Peace so it wasn't as astonishing as it was the first time--still amazing, but nothing will beat the first time walking into a floating building in space that had the most breathtaking view. But what they didn't expect to find was a Princess from a planet called Altea needing someone to come and help her protect her people. The message was in such disarray, there was no video and the voice was bouncing so much that they could hardly understand her distress.

They left to go and save her and her people, however, they were too late to get there and save her planet. They spent half a year searching for her vehicle or anything that resembled the Altean DNA in their system. They landed on a planet called Arus, where they found her and an older man in a cryo-freeze state. They were all shocked to hear that they were way more than a half a year late and that they got the transmission _10, 000 years_ too late.

The six stayed in space, helping the Princess and her Uncle back on their feet and attempt to rebuild some sort of society. Sending out Altean distress signals so that if anyone else, somehow, survived than they could hope to rebuild Altea.

After one year of doing so a tyrant, who named himself Emporer Zarkon, sent his people after Allura attempting to wipe out her people. The six stayed to help defend the castle and her in turn. The castle took flight with the help of Hunk, Katie, and Matt, and they were no longer sitting ducks. A half a year passed and Hunk told the team about a wonderful 'space hero' he had been trying to create back on Earth but now that they were in space will all these materials and mechanics he thought it would be possible. Three years in the making and Voltron was born. In those three years, Keith and Hunk got married and adopted a small Alien boy, Katie and Matt got really close to finding their father, Hunk had grown his hair so long that he opted to put it into a bun on the top of his head, and (in the last two years) Takashi had been kidnapped which left Lance with no one to lean on.

Lance was under so much distress while he was doing his best to find Takashi. He had asked Katie one time to help him, but he was too 'needy' and 'loud' that Katie left him to his own devices. Lance taught himself several algorithms that he saw Katie use before so that he could try to find Takashi. Lance didn't want to trouble anyone with him missing his family and the only other family he had was now in Zarkons hands. Lance searched and searched for Takashi, knowing that he probably would never see him again, but did not give up. Lance often forgot to feed himself, he was found passed out on the ground of the library too often for comfort and had to go to the cryopods because he was so malnourished.

That's when Allura stepped in. Lance hadn't been himself and she told him she missed him, the him that would laugh and joke with the team, the him that was serious and stern when needed, the _usual_ him. She confessed to finding herself clinging to the husbands and wanting to have one ounce of their happiness. She felt something deep in her heart for them, but she didn't want to drive them apart. Cue Lance and Allura getting really close. Her often finding her place in Lance's lap as the two searched for Takashi. Cue Allura helping Lance to the dining hall and feeding him (on some days that he refused to eat). Cue Lance wondering how he ever lived without Allura in his life and feeling like he was cheating Takashi. Cue Allura sneaking touches and fond looks towards Lance to make him more comfortable and safe, as he hadn't felt without Takashi. Cue Allura and Lance sharing a bed because Lance just couldn't sleep without a body in bed. Cue Allura and Lance finding themselves kissing. Cue the two getting married. Cue..... Allura becoming pregnant.... 

One day they finally found Takashi, well, the ship he was on. Matt and Katie had narrowed down the search to one vessel in the system. Lance didn't listen to anyone as he got into his lion and barged in like a brute who needed to see his husband. Two long years had passed and Lance couldn't want anything more than to see his husband and apologize and to hold and coddle him. Lance never thought he'd find Takashi... so he married Allura and she was already ready to have their child. He felt terrible. He felt the worst. He assumed his husband dead and would rather at this point himself be dead for what he did.

 

"Lance?" Allura's voice resonated in his mind bringing him to look at his beautiful wife, never once regretting their lives together

"Happy anniversary, you two," Lance smiled warmly, he kissed Allura again, but stronger this time. He whimpered in her soft touches to his face and struggled to keep his eyes open.... to keep the tears away. 

"You and anniversaries." Takashi was suddenly right beside them with Ama sleeping in his strong arms. Takashi nuzzled into Lance's neck and left small peppered kisses until Allura left Lance's mouth to let Takashi leave a loving kiss.

"Happy Anniversary," Allura and Takashi said smiling in sync. Lance felt his heart flutter, he is _literally_ the luckiest man alive.

"Let's go get washed up for breakfast, shall we?" Allura cooed to Ronney

"Don't forget Ama," Takashi pointed out with a laugh

"Never would dream of it," Allura kissed Takashi's cheek as she walked Ronney and held Ama towards the door and left to go get ready for the breakfast that Hunk was making, probably with Tsuyoshi and Keith's help.

Allura left the room looking to Takashi, they both gave a knowing look as the door shut behind her.

" _Lance,_ " Takashi took Lance's body and pulled it to his own as he let their lips meet again

"Takashi," Lance called into the kiss tapping Takashi's shoulder

"I knew it," Takashi separated from him, "You're thinking about _it_ again."

"N-No I'm not," Lance tried to avoid

"Don't lie to me, Lance. You don't like me getting close when you think about  _it_." 

"How am I not supposed to think about it? It's our anniversary.... I don't regret marrying Allura and I don't regret Ronney at all.... but I don't understand how **you** don't hate me."

Takashi let out a disappointed sigh, "You thought I was dead. Allura comforted you and you married her. She grounded you and helped you through an unimaginable loss. I'm just surprised she was okay with us still being married and then the two of us marrying a year later with Ama on the way right after. I thought she was going to be the one to be angry and that I was going to lose you." Takashi pulled Lance's head to his bare chest and let out a huff as he ran his hands through Lance's hair massaging his scalp. "You carry the weight of the world on your shoulders. You are amazing and brave, strong and determined. You had someone who helped, even a little, and Zarkon took me away. You felt alone and trapped, suffocated in your own world.... Allura was there. She stood in my boots and helped you though everything. I could never thank her enough for keeping you sane and alive while I was struggling to come back to you. I do not hate you, I could never. Please never forget that you ground me and Allura more than we ground you. You saved both of us from ourselves more than once. You are the shining light in our lives. Please. Never think that you are hated by either of us."

"I know... but--"

"No 'but's'. None of that. If your head is telling you something different tell it off. Flip it off, tell it to go fuck off. Your heart knows what's up, it's the best thing about you--"

"Lance," Allura's voice came over the intercom system, slightly startled but mimicking a calmness, "It's the Ju'uiil's, I have no idea what they are asking, do you mind coming down? You're the only one fluent in their language."

"Be right there," Lance called smiling, "Thanks, Takashi, I needed that." Lance left a little kiss on Takashi's cheek, opposite to where Allura had kissed him. 

"Hence why I'm here. Now, let's get dressed Mr. Diplomat. You need to go talk to a species that has tried to kill us a thousand times."

 

* * *

 

"It never ceases to amaze me how he can speak, like, 20 different languages." Hunk sat back and just stared as Lance flawlessly communicated with the Ju'uiil's. His tongue clicking and his hands sporadically moving to keep up with his words.

"Well, yeah. He kind of had to learn since we don't have an intergalactic translator or something of the sorts, and the rest of us didn't already have a second language under our belt. It was easier for him," Keith shifted his body bouncing a little to re-adjust the weight on his shoulders who seemed like they couldn't contain themselves. 

"I wanna be like Uncle Lance!!" Tsuyoshi said bouncing on Keith's shoulders

"That's a good goal, my little Alien," Hunk cooed, "But it has to be okay with your Dad,"

"Can I Daddy?!" Tsuyoshi looked down to Keith and pulled his hair just a little, the mullet sadly gone from his head. Over time he just couldn't handle the look of it, using his knife to cut it off unevenly about a half a year ago. 

"No, Papa said no yesterday and I say no today. It's too dangerous."

"UGH!" Tsuyoshi complained, leaning his weight on Keith's head like he was a pile of goo, "But if Uncle Lance can do it so can I!" 

"Lance put's himself in danger too often--" 

"Yeah, he learned all that from you." Hunk lightly bumped Keith's hip with a smirk

"If anyone learned anything from me it's you, Hunk, and being ridiculously cheeky." 

"Aww, thanks, hun~" Hunk kissed Keith's cheek

"EWWWW!!! Daddy's!!" Tsuyoshi complained

 

Tsuyoshi orphaned and or left to die out in the small sand dunes of Nalquod. Keith tried to keep Tsuyoshi a secret but only lasted a few hours before his husband had him all figured out (well, Hunk thought Keith snuck another lizard on board, because two is enough for Hunk... man that boy and lizards, but Hunk was overjoyed when a small alien child, roughly the age of three, was presented to him). Tsuyoshi likes to think he babysits Ronney. The two hold hands and usually follow Coran around when their parents are on a mission or Tsuyoshi will sit with Katie and ask questions about anything really, making sure not to annoy her with too many but also not stopping because he want’s to know everything! He's six now, loves both his fathers even though they aren't his biological fathers.

 

"Glicktu gun'foolto!" Lance practically yelled.

The man on the other end of the screen let out a sigh and calmly said, "Gang to cli'qu tu nich." He bowed and then was off the screen.

"Lance?" Hunk called

"Gah fun'ju hangen'foojaren!"

"Try again," Hunk commented, used to Lance speaking in a different tongue than they all know and having to remind him that they all aren't as fluent as he is.

Lance let out a grunt and shook his head as if that would help jar the different language out of his mouth, "Their leader was under distress, gun at his head and forced to give our location. Zarkon is coming here. NOW."

"What?!" Allura questioned

"We have to leave now, there is no time. I have no idea how much longer it will be until--"

" _Paladins_ ," Zarkon's voice came over the screen, his face jarring and unaged. The deep purple glow from his eyes demon like as he smirked. 

"Zarkon," They all bit back

Zarkon's Armada showed up and they were surrounded.

"There's nowhere for you to hide, you can not run away from me this time."

"Allura, get behind me--ALLURA BEHIND ME!" Lance called running to his wife and protecting her with his strong build. He frantically looked around to locate Takashi who hid the kids behind him and stood firmly shaking in his boots.

"I will wipe _that_ race off this universe." Zarkon chuckled, sending chills down everyone's spine, "I hear halfling offspring has come out of your _meeting_ , they must go as well."

"You dare touch them and I will kill you!" Lance heavily threatened

"Very well, why don't you--as you've said before-- Bring it on, then?" His face was gone from the screen and the fighters started attacking.

"Everyone, get to your stations! We must protect Allura, Coran and this castle at all cost!" Takashi called, everyone spreading out as soon as he spoke. Keith and Hunk setting Tsuyoshi to the ground where he ran to the Red Paladin seat and strapped in as ingrained into his brain to do. Coran sprinted to the controls of the ship so used to Allura joining the 'troops' by now that he just guided the ship along, Matt found his place the Green Paladin's seat (Easily modified for his needs) as he began to program little fighters of their own to distract the Galra while the five (and Allura) got ready, Takashi placed Ama with Coran and told Ronney to stay glued to Tsuyoshi's side (as well as giving a panicked order to Tsuyoshi to not allow Ronney out of his sight), and the five Paladins ran towards their lions. 

Lance grabbed Allura's arm, her following the five, "Where do you think you're going?"

"To my ship, I'm helping," Allura said in an obvious tone, their dynamic too constant to stop suddenly. 

"No, you are not." Lance sternly said, "I am not allowing you to fly into his grip, Allura he'll kill you!"

"Lance, I will be fine." Allura smiled as if she was trying to hide the fact that it was the plan.

"I do not like that look, Allura," Lance commented. He knew that arguing with her would be the worst idea. She was very stubborn in her ways, which was a blessing and a curse. So, as the two walked to the lions he didn't let go of her hand. Lance didn't say a thing, but boy was he thinking. Zarkon threatened his children now. Threatened everything he loved and cared for. Zarkon already beat his husband into oblivion, he wants to kill his wife, and now.... now take his children away from him too? Can't he have anything?

"Lance," Allura called, "Be careful,"

"You too, and don't do anything I wouldn't do." Lance smiled getting a small giggle out of her. He pulled her into a little hug knowing if they shared a kiss it would probably be their last. 

"Don't worry you two," Takashi said joining in on the hug, "We'll all come back here, a little sore and probably a little sour, but we'll be fine."

 

 

 

 

_It was not fine._

They were doing all they could to not die from one fighter, and with six on each of their tails, it was becoming hard to avoid every little shot.

"ALLURA!" Lance called swerving to go help her

"Lance, stay in position," Keith called trying to be calm even though his white knuckled grip was telling everyone that he was struggling to not go protect Hunk.

"Allura, please, don't do that again," Takashi called worried as well

"I was only trying to get them off me. The explosion was not expected," She said innocently

"I don't want to say this," Lance began "But we've got to board the ship so we can hook Matt into the system and he can disrupt the fighters long enough so we can get out of here."

"Yeah, I could definetally do that!" Matt cheered

"I agree," Takashi said with a huff

"I'll go with you," Allura and Takashi said at the same time.

"No, to both of you. By 'we' I meant me, myself, and I."

"Lance, someone has to have your back," Takashi explained

"Okay, but Allura you're staying out here, we can't have Hunk, Keith, and Katie fighting out here all by themselves.

"I have some fighters out there," Matt commented "It shouldn't be a problem"

"Yes and I am here as well, Lance," Coran commented as if Lance had forgotten the castles lasers that had almost been the death of him as well. 

"Matt...Coran," Lance bit out, wishing that he'd take the hint of not wanting to put Allura on a Galra ship full of a race that wants nothing more than her extinction. "Fine," He said angrily, "but we are sticking together and following my lead." 

"Agreed," Takashi and Allura said together. 

 

Lance knew Galra ships extensively. He had memorized them when they encountered the Marmorite Blades. Lance wanted to be an asset to the team, he'd felt useless the first year or two with the team and him only knowing how to hold a gun. So he made himself useful, learning over 50 different Alien dialects, sixteen different attacking procedures of the Galra, almost every outlay of a Galra ship, and a decent knowledge of healing and medical training. Because of all of this, he's been in several covert operations and undercover rescues. He's one of the only paladins who goes onto a ship because he can, more than likely, communicate with a few of the species and knows the layout better than anyone. 

 

"Alright, we're going to go through the central hull," Lance huffed as he steered the blue lion through fighters, "Allura, Takashi, stay behind me. We're going to leave the lions and Allura's fighter out here as we board. Zarkon doesn't seem interested in Voltron so it shouldn't be a problem."

The three got safely onto the ship, Keith, Hunk, Katie, and Coran covering them and Matt at the ready to install the virus on board the ship. 

"Where to now?" Allura asked Lance as she huddled to his back closely

"We have to make it to the main computer system, it's by the bridge which is going to be dangerous... hence why I wanted you two safe." Lance sighed knowing that being bitter about the situation wasn't going to help

"And hence why we didn't let you go alone," Takashi smiled as he placed his hand on Lance's broad shoulder. Lance smiled and pulled up a holo-map showing the two the direction they were going. The map, manufactured with the help of the Marmorite Blades and Matt, Katie, and Hunk's expertise also showed heat signatures and electronic code signatures so that the three could get in and out undetected. 

"Follow me, please," Lance said in a hush as the three maneuvered. Hearts racing and Lance wanting to punch the both of them for following him, they made it two rooms down from the bridge of the ship and to the door where the main power was generated. "We should be in and out in no time. All else fails we can blow a hole through the wall and fly to our ships." Lance mumbled to himself

"We are not doing that, Lance," Allura deadpanned. 

"I know, I know. Just.... an idea," Lance chuckled. Lance looked to Takashi and motioned him to place his hand and open the door

Takashi chuckled, "Bet you're glad I came now?" 

"Oh--hush your beautiful face and open the door, Takashi," Lance retorted 

The door 'whooshed' open, leaving an unsettling feeling in Lance's stomach, "you two watch the door I'll be back in a flash." Lance rolled in, gun at the ready. When no one fired back he stood and skulked to the panel.

"Alright, Lance, what are you looking at?" Matt asked through the communication system

"Well... I think it's a 14.5 K Teggahert Junnhi series. It looks like there's one wire system that spirals out so... it's a 16-4 pod replicator." 

"Okay, and the cut-off wires?"

"Well," Lance opened an easy access panel, "Looks like two tubes of pure energy. No wires to cut. The energy looks searing and hot, I think it's Quintonium essence (or that's my best guess). You know, 50 mega- _hurts_." Lance joked with a pun. He'd never forget Quintonum essence and how it almost made him lose his life, when touched without the correct equipment it can explode to a 4-mile radius blinding those in a 5-mile radius and killing all those within a 3-mile radius. He was lucky that day. 

"Oh, this is going to be fun..." Matt commented

"Alright, so what do I do? I could pull back and snip it?" 

"That could work, but try looking for a Xaxxion port. I might be able to load myself in if you can connect to it." 

"That's risky, but I'll try it." Lance let out a huff and looked around the panels for a Xaxxion port. The small port always elusive even to the trained eye. "Oh!" Lance said finding it sooner than he thought he would, "Matt?" 

"Still here," 

"I found it, what do you want me to do next?" 

"Nice job Lance!" Matt said on the other end with a cheer, "Plug in with the USB I gave you and I should be able to download it in no time. Once you plug it in, get out." 

"Roger that." Lance shook his head, knowing that Matt couldn't see him but for more of his own reassurance. Lance pulled the USB out and plugged it in. Quickly turning on his heal and opening the door.

"Lance," Takashi said in a whisper "How'd it go?" 

"Let's head out, Matt's about to load the virus." 

"Nice job, hun," Allura said giving Lance a thumbs up and smiling 

"We're going to head back the way we came--" 

"You can't" Matt's voice came back in the headset, "Looks like a squad of troops is heading your way the only way out is to go through the bridge..." 

"Cielos*...." Lance said under his breath

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *cielos - Means "For heaven's sake" in Spanish  
> Also, The Marmorite Blades are this universe's Blade of Marmora, FYI. 
> 
> I really need to stop making one chapter of a book and then leaving them. T.T. I had this idea a few days ago when I saw the amazing art from bkl-l [(older Lance that swoon my heart)](https://blk-l.tumblr.com/image/163922913549) on Tumblr and literally devoted all my time to come up with the first chapter.... I REALLY like this idea and just needed to get it out for you guys. I hope you guys like it! I am working on the second chapter, and this book looks to be the one I attach myself to as of right now. Work has dialed down so I should be able to update the other books in due time. Thanks!


	2. B is for Belonging

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Universe 'A' (mainly)

"Cielos...." Lance said under his breath, "So blowing up the ship and flying in space to our lions is the best option, can't wait!" Lance said with fake, and sarcastic, enthusiasm. 

"Blowing up and potentially dying, is not a good idea," Allura pointed out

"Obviously, but we could crash through the window comfortably with a blast from my gun and quickly fly to our lions," Lance said looking at the door of the bridge.... "Let's go."

"No, I think we should--" 

"There is hardly anytime to think," Matt intervened, "Unless you want to be stuck there. In ten, or so, minutes everything will be shut down, from the doors to the oxygen. Please, get out safely." 

"Alright, roger that," Lance said as he put his hand up to his chin curling and forming to his square jaw, his eyes darting as if reciting the castle schematics in his mind. "OH!" He said out loud happily

"What?" Allura asked confused

"There's an escape pod in the bridge."

"Are you joking?" Takashi felt his shoulders drop "You were going to shoot us into space when there is a perfectly good pod to use?!" 

"Eh, details." Lance shrugged his shoulders and turned, "I don't like us charging into the bridge though.... Zarkon could be there waiting... I'd literally be handing you two over to him..." 

"We'll cross that bridge when we get to it _if_ we get to it," Takashi said still concerned that his husband thought of shooting himself into space before using the perfectly working escape pod. 

The three gave looks to one another and headed towards the bridge, Lance activated his gun, Allura grabbed her staff, and Takashi activated his hand as they opened the door. Their exact fear sat in front of them, legs crossed and lips curled in a smirk.

"You Paladins look like a Balaboo at the end of its master's journey when it learns its life is over." Zarkon stood, his cape shifting and practically fanning the menacing air into the entire bridge. "It's no different for you, this is where your life ends." He drew his weapon, the black Bayard which formed into a thick sword with a slight hook to the end of the blade

"We aren't so weak as to bend over and let you kill us!" Lance took a few steps forward and one to the left to place himself right in front of his husband and wife

"Lance, what are you doing?" Takashi asked

"I've been training with Keith," Lance said not looking back to Takashi as he moved his hand with his gun. The blue gun glowed brightly as it shifted shape as if forcing itself to change to something uncomfortable to what it is used to. The glow blurred a little as it shown and finally formed a sword almost identical to Keith's... however it glowed a silent blue. 

"I like that attitude, Paladin," 

"Lance, please, don't"

"I've got this, trust me," Lance said with a smirk as he surged towards Zarkon. 

Fighting Zarkon was different from sparring with Keith. This was actually life or death, not Keith pointing a blade at Lance and claiming victory for the hundredth time. This wasn't wooden swords clashing together and Lance just getting bruises and splinters, this was metal against metal. Actual sparks flying at each attempt at his life. This wasn't some childish memory where he could enjoy flash backs of him and his older siblings playing with foam nerf swords in the backyard and Phil telling on Carlos because he stabbed him but Carlos wasn't 'playing dead'.... there was no playing here. He was either dead or not. 

Lance struggled to keep Zarkon at a decent distance and keep his footing, Zarkon had much more weight in his swings than Keith. Zarkon had much MUCH more speed in his thrusts and sweeps than Keith. Lance was losing his footing, he was losing everything.... he was going to lose!

A loud crack resonated from his knees as Zarkon's food snapped the front of Lance's kneecap forcing him to his knees in a screaming pain. Takashi and Allura tried to call out for him, but their words stuck in their throats as they just watched. 

Lance said he had this.... what if this was part of the plan and they were doubting him? What if they could ruin everything with saying something. 

"I want them to see this," Zarkon manhandled Lance by the hair, pulling him up from the ground and turning him around to face his husband and wife. Lance held onto Zarkon's claw that dug into his skull and hair.

"Please..." Allura let out a whimper

"I'm going to take everything from you," Zarkon said as his other hand, wielding the sword, slowly moved "Then, once your will is broken and all hope is drained, I will kill you off as well. There will be no more Altean's in _my_ universe!"  

Lance's face began to contort. He'd seen the video's when he was back on earth in history class but nothing beats the real thing.... the feeling of a bamboo shoot slowly stabbing through his abdomen. Lance let out screams as the pain came in waves....slow waves, of pain, Pain, and even more pain. The sword moved through his chest smoothly. cracking ribs as it pierced right through his stomach and his small intestine. Blood pooling in his black suit and staining the white of his armor. Lance tried to look down to the blade, curling at a hook at the end as if he were a shark being caught in deep waters and pulled to the terrifying land. He saw the blade drip with his deep red blood, that beautifully painted the silver-purple blade which now glowed as if excited to pierce his body. Lance choked and coughed, blood now pooling and spilling from his mouth and nose too, which quirked up to giggle. His eyes spilled tears of unknown origins as he tried to keep his true emotions at bay. He'd always feared death, always knew that it would come eventually and he wanted nothing more than to die protecting those he loved. He felt numb. He'd felt numb before, but that was more of a numb depression. It strangely felt the same. His heart hurt, his body hurt, and his soul felt incomplete and heavy. He looked to his husband and wife, both in utter shock as they didn't know what to say. They didn't know what to do... They seemed to not want to believe that he'd lose. What did they expect? Him to win? Against Zarkon? A man who became a demon over night? Unlikely. Lance shuttered at the eyes of his wife and husband that tried to erase the image, that tried to stop this image from happening.... that tired to wake up from a wishful nightmare. "Don't look at me like that..." Lance said coughing up more blood 

" **LANCE**!!" Allura finally shrieked, her voice broken as well as her eyes, tears now streaming down her face as well. 

Lance closed his eyes as he felt the disgusting sensation of the sword leaving his body and his body dropping to the ground without any reaction from any of his limbs to stop the hard crash to the floor. A sturdy boot that, probably, shattered his kneecap stomped on his back forcing him to scream out again, the wound only getting larger. Blood stained the floor as Lance struggled against the boot. 

" _Zarkon_!" Takashi bit out as he curled his hand into a fist his teeth clamped tightly shut as if he were afraid of uttering any other word.

"I told you to 'bring it on', _boy_ , you're simply too late to challenge me. I'm more powerful than you could ever dream of becoming." Zarkon stood tall and proud

"I'm the one you want, not him." Allura stood

"Allura,  _no._ " Lance gargled "Takashi...." His throat fighting against every word that burned and scraped his esophagus "Take her.... and go...."

"WHAT?! No!" Takashi yelled

"Outside....You two can escape." 

"That's insane! You'll die! I'm not leaving you!" Takashi sobbed as he talked, not wanting this to be the end for his husband

"Trust me on this, Takashi.... please?" 

"You said that before and you got stabbed--" 

"TRUST... me, trust me?" 

Takashi looked to his husband long and hard. His oceanic orbs failing to shine as bright as they were in the castle this morning. His husband's completion fighting to not fall to a deep gray and fall to ash. Takashi wanted to go kiss his husband, wondering why they all didn't kiss each other before they left anyway. Takashi let out a cry of regret as he then grabbed his wife around her stomach and pulled her out of the room, past Zarkon who seemed too entranced in finishing off Lance. He weakly sprinted towards the escape pod that Lance had pointed to, as he struggled to stay upright with Allura writhing and screaming for Lance. She clawed and punched his mechanical arm as he yanked her into an embrace. No sooner was he calming her with silent words that a small blast erupted and painted the room behind them with fire and a shout from Zarkon. Takashi shakingly looked behind him. Takashi felt the worst for doing this, he felt like a total ass for pulling her away like that, but.... he had to. He stood still as he looked to the smoke that lingered from the explosion, there was silence and then he heard small clicking feet hit the ground either a slow escape or a slow walk towards their prey, who could know? Takashi held onto Allura and tried to shush her cries into his chest, her bruising grip on his bicep forcing him to bite his lip to keep the pained grunts at bay.

"Come on, handsome, d-d-don't keep that beauty all to yourself~," Lance stood in front of them, keeled over practically nothing but the will to live keeping him up on his feet. Blood dripping from mouth and his hand trying to hold the blood in his abdomen and not all over himself as it already was. Takashi let go of Allura as the two rushed to support Lance and kiss all over his stupid face, "Don't ask 'cause you both know the answer.... I'm _really_ not fine, I'll need a cryopod for at least three weeks..." 

"You're an idiot!" Allura lectured leaving butterfly kisses all over his face as she held it in place, avoiding blood and open wounds, for now, that she'd kiss when he was out of the cryopod. 

"I know, I know. I want to hear the lecture later when I'm still on the cryo-high and don't really retain anything." He chuckled

"How'd you get out of Zarkon's grasp?" Allura asked, "He had you pinned to the ground under his boot!" 

"Explosion," Lance said spreading his fingers like fireworks as Allura and Takashi braced his shoulders and helped him toward the escape pod.

"That doesn't answer where you got the explosion, and how you activated it!" Allura said angrily

"I know, my love, all will be told in due time.... let's just make it home before anything... I can't wait for Keith to lecture me... his lectures are always the best." 

"Shh, Lance, preserve your strength." 

"Yes, if you have time to talk about Keith, you have time to tell me how in heavens name you got free."

"You're right, both of you... I'll stay quiet."

Lance pointed and guided them to the escape pod without further interruption, weirdly. It was unnerving if the next corner was going to be their last... without their long-range shooter they were screwed. Allura flew the pod as Takashi held onto Lance, the whole ship suddenly turned off as the virus had taken full effect. 

"You did it!" Keith called as the coms were now back on and he saw the ship go down

"We're in the escape pod, please don't shoot," Allura said calmly

"Why are you in an escape pod?" Hunk asked

"Our sharpshooter seems to forget that being a martyr isn't in his job description." 

"Cute, hun... really. You should add-on some more sass to that. That will make everything better." 

"Lance, preserve your energy, don't die to give us snide remarks." 

"But--" 

"Shh, darling, we can bicker about this later." 

"I'll count that as my win," Lance said with a cough and a gasp followed by a broken chuckle

"Want us to pick up Black, Blue and Allura's ship?" Hunk chuckled, this happening too often for them all to not be comfortable with Lance being in the headling pod  _again_

"Please?" Takashi asked in a gentlemanly manner

"Alright, just make sure he makes it in alright." Keith answered back, "Needless to say, we'd be dead out here by now if it weren't for him." 

"Agreed." 

"Awe thanks~" Lance half-heartedly cooed

Allura flew right into the castle; Takashi jumped out of the escape pod and sprinting to the cryopods as Allura then set the pod on autopilot and sent it off the ship so Zarkon couldn't track them through the pod and then she too joined in Takashi's sprint to get their husband to safety.

"Daddy we won!" Ronney stood in the hallway wanting to congratulate his fathers and mother but moved out of the way as he saw an all too familiar sight. Ronney got scooped up by Allura and placed on her hip as he now followed the brigade of worried family over a man who is too self-sacrificing. "Why this time?" Ronney asked twirling Allura's hair with his index finger

"Shhh, everything will be alright my little one," Allura soothed, "Daddy will be alright." 

They made it to the cryopods and gently put Lance inside, he was still reacting to pain, slightly, but reacting enough to show he was alive. They had no time to change him into the solar suit right now, when he got about 50% they'd be able to change him, but right now it was very important to heal his gaping wound. The cryopod closed and began the healing process, showing his vitals and his mind waves. The hundredth decimal slowly showing the progress of his health rising. Then and only then did Takashi let out a sigh of relief that his husband was, eventually, going to be okay. 

"That idiot!" Keith gasped as he walked into the cryo-room

"Oh, my stars, I didn't expect him to be this bad! What did he do?" Hunk said as well joining

"Fought Zarkon by himself..." 

"H-H-He..." Hunk stuttered "He fought with Zarkon and survived?" 

"Do you think he'll be okay?" Katie said moving from behind Keith, Matt right beside her and walking up to the pod signing and commenting under his breath about how Lance needed to stop sleeping in the cryopod more than his own bed. 

"Physically he'll be sore, but mentally... I'm not sure, he's been having the martyr complex for like half a year.... if he keeps doing this it won't end well." 

The team kept a small conversation, asking questions and concerns and making them more 'adult' so the children who joined wouldn't exactly know what was going on. They all decided to move this to the common room, putting one of Matt's sensors on the cryopod so if anything changed then the team would be notified immediately. 

 

Allura and Takashi were cuddling each other, her in his lap facing him and in a complete ball against his chest, both out of their armor and in common clothes (Allura in a pair of short shorts and clinging to one of Lance's shirts she tried to steal a thousand times before and now was the perfect time to steal and cuddle in the heavy scent of her husband, and Shiro dressed in his normal casual attire of a black T-shirt and his 'dad' pants, minus the shoes). 

"When will he learn?" Allura mumbled

"I don't think he ever will...." Takashi soothed her as he patted her hair

"Where are Ronney and Ama?" Keith asked as he sat beside Hunk with a worried look and a warm beverage

"Put them to sleep..." Takashi said with a sigh, "Ronney had so many questions and I just... I don't know what to say to some of them."

"He's just like Lance,"

"Let's hope that it doesn't go this far... I would appreciate to not watch my son be in the cryopods more than he's out of them." 

"What was he even thinking?" Hunk questioned as he draped one arm over Keith and pulled him closer "Him facing Zarkon alone and all??" 

"He thought that since him and Keith had been sparring that he'd be able to go against Zarkon." Takashi simply said

"Are you for real?!" Keith questioned shocked

"That was his reasoning..." Allura said in a hushed tone curling tighter into her self, as if she were trying to fall completely into Takashi and herself and just vanish. Takashi ran his hand through her hair and down her back

 

"SLAV WHAT DID YOU DO?!"

"I did nothing! I told you the probability of it working was 3.4% in this reality!" 

"I'm going to kill you!" Matt yelled as his feet carried him to the common room where the others were, "I don't know what happened, but Lance is gone!" 

"WHAT?!" Everyone got up and sprinted following Matt and Slav as they took them to the cryopods.

"Matt, what the hell do you mean he's gone?!" Takashi demanded as he sprinted beside Matt

"He's not there Takashi," Matt shrugged, "I don't know what else to say. Slav and I went to check on his vitals and Slav tinkered with something talking about efficiency. I told him to calibrate it to a T-C series 7.9L but he didn't listen telling me that it wasn't going to work, it was fine until he changed it to my calculations. Sorry!" Matt turned the corner and opened the doors to the room of the cryopods. Slav was the only one inside, panicking as he seemed to try to be reversing what he did. 

Takashi walked up to the open cryopod where Lance  _was._

"LANCE?!" Takashi called as if Lance were going to pop out. He knew for a fact that Lance was not going to just show up, that if Lance got out then he'd be just as bad as when they put him in there. Lance had only healed a couple hundred cells, not enough to even breathe on his own, let alone walk and joke around! "We have to find him!" Takashi began to panic, the room around him spinning, his breath becoming hitched. He fell to his knees. 

A panic attack. 

"Takashi," Allura called to him and fell to her knees too, pulling him close to her, "Breathe, okay? Can you do that for me? Take a deep breath and do what Lance taught us to do." 

Takashi took a deep breath in. He closed his eyes and envisioned his happy place. He took a moment to think of his husband before the war. His young fiancé who laughed and cooed, who poked his cheek and would yank him into a closet at the Garrison so the two could have a 'hot make-out session' and not get caught. He went to his happy place, a place scented of Lance where they just sat on the beach on their honeymoon and stared up at the stars and Lance pointed at them giving them fake names, even though he knew the actual names. His laugh heavily as he did nothing more than watch his husbands reactions and joy in his eyes. His mind focusing on the image of Lance's ocean eyes calming his breathing and reminding him of their home back on earth, their home so close to the ocean that Lance could practically jump into it from their porch. Takashi let out a breath and held onto his wife too. If she weren't here he'd break so much faster. Hell, he'd have broken right then and there.... no wonder Lance turned to her when Takashi was kidnapped. 

Takashi slowly stood bringing Allura with him, "Let's scan the system. He has his tracker in him unless Zarkon cut it out of him we should be able to find him." 

"That's right! After we got you back Lance had us all inject coded trackers in us, totally forgot how itchy those were the first month." Hunk commented

"He has his intelligent moments," Keith snickered

The team rushed to the hull of the ship and punched in Lance's tracking code into the castle's system. "As long as he's within five galaxies we should be able to find him, otherwise I have no idea where he is.... or how he got there," Coran commented being filled in with the situation

They waited for a ping. A tick. Something to sound off. Takashi held onto Allura's hand with an almost bruising grip, his organic hand shaking in her's. Lance had been there with him for everything... Lance was more than just a husband to him, he was an asset.... he was as necessary as oxygen in Takashi's book. Without Lance, the team wouldn't be able to talk to more than half the species that they talk to on a weekly basis, without Lance they don't have the second leg to form Voltron, without Lance they don't have their distant shooter, their eye in the sky... without Lance they're essentially lost. He made space bearable, it was all because of him that any of them even came up to space. Takashi almost sent the mission to Altea to another team, but Lance was the one who took it from him and accepted it. 

_'It will be good for us! Let's go to space!'_

_'I don't want to go, Lance, we have a perfectly fine living here. Going to a planet that's in war could take years. We may never return.... your family...'_

_'You're all I need, Takashi. Plus, I'm sure that an intergalactic space princess can send at least one message to Abuela* that I'm fine, and if not that what's the point of being a space princess??'_

Then Lance gave the whole team a speech like that. That it would be 4 years, max. Keith was first to accept, he didn't really have anything tying him to earth, he even showed the team an Alien knife that he had which he wanted to figure out where it came from; Hunk joined second to his, at that time, boyfriend, thinking it would be nerve-racking and dangerous but we'd have enough puke buckets so 'why the hell not?'; Matt and Katie were on board as well, they both had traversed Earth and knew that their father wasn't there, so space was the next option, right?.

 

"Type it in again," Takashi said staring at the map waiting for a part of it to highlight itself. 

"Takashi, I've done it three times now," Coran said, "He's not anywhere in range." 

"That doesn't make sense Coran! DO IT AGAIN!" Takashi snapped and stared at Coran 

"Takashi," Allura said putting herself in front of Takashi and cupping his face forcing him to look at her, "Getting angry at Coran is not going to fix this. We'll find Lance, okay? Wherever he is, we'll find him."

 

* * *

 

The noise of the cryopod opening woke Lance up. He practically crashed to the ground without anyone to welcome him back. He felt the stiff pain in his chest that did not comfort his arrival. Lance sat on the floor for a tick, thinking. Why was no one there? Hunk usually waited for him to come out with a plate of who know's what. How long had he even been in there? Probably a week or so, the last time he was in there he had taken two days and that was for his back... man was he sore after that. Lance held onto his chest as he got up from the floor slowly. Looking around he saw the soft blues that the castle first had when they got onto it years ago, but those were too harsh to their eyes so they had changed the lights.... but maybe they changed them back while he was out? He didn't really want to fight it. They gave him a sense of serenity, making him think of the ocean. He chuckled remembering the sounds of the ocean as if he were still there. He lightly stretched the pain making him stop half way. He looked to his body after feeling a slight breeze and opted to ignore the fact he still had on his black t-shirt and gray skinny jeans (not the exact attire that they used for the cryopods) as he then walked out into the hall. The hall felt smaller, somehow. The castle seemed to be changed around because he never knew everything was so close together and he'd been living here for, like, six years! There were small mumbling talks down the hall as if everyone was SO far away from him. He decided to go find the voices hoping to find his handsome husband....and hopefully his beautiful wife... however, he knew she'd be pissed after he pulled such a stunt again.

Lance turned to where he thought the voices were coming from, where the Bridge would be, but the door opened and he was met with a small bedroom with a low glow of red. _What?_ he'd never seen a room with a red glow in it. He knew that people customized their rooms but Keith and Hunk's room was a white glow, Keith uncomfortable with purple and Tsuyoshi afraid of the Red glow, and their room was spacious... not this small. Lance continued down the hall as he closed the door, passing the training room which should be on the other side of the ship and.... the dining hall? 

_Okay, what's going on here?_

Lance was more than confused, the whole castle shifted around. With his luck he'd been in the cryopod for 10,000 years and woke to a new generation... _oh, that'd be fun_!

 

"I wonder when sleeping beauty is going to get up?" _Ah. The never aging voice of Katie_ , It brought Lance's mind to a calming constant. He knew she'd know what was going on.

"He was in the showers, probably won't be that long."

Lance looked around. He wasn't in the showers....?

He walked to the open door where he was positive everyone's voice was coming from, though some sounded so young he decided to blame the cryopod for that later. He lifted his eyes and halted. 

"Woah..." Lance looked at everyone. who literally jolted and stared at him as he stated his presence. "Uhhhh..." Lance just stared at them. Hunk was missing his beautiful hair, partial beard, and mass of muscles that he'd grown and the oil stains in his shirt; Keith's hair was back to the mullet that he resented so much and the stupid red crop-top jacket thing draped over his shoulders even though Lance swore Matt burned that thing; Katie looked....male?; Coran looked like the creamer he'd been sharing with Lance was actually making him younger.... and Takashi.... Woah. He looked just like a carbon copy of when they got married, minus the ridiculous outfit he had on. They all looked the ages they were before the whole trip up to space. "You're all so young..."

"Intruder!" Keith shouted finally lunging at Lance and putting a knife to his throat, everyone else stood Bayards drawn and ready to fight.

"Don't--! I'm not an intruder" Lance quickly moved, grabbing Keith's wrist, twirling him around and pinning him to the ground. He hissed at the pain in his chest that made him move slower, fast enough for these versions of his family, but slow for his liking. "I'm Lance. Lance Shirogane, why are you all teenagers again?? Did we all get shot by that Boom-Tah beam again? No, wait... that just switched our bodies, not our ages...."

"Shiro!! Do something!" Keith said struggling but not being able to budge

"Okay, everyone calm down," Takashi put his hands up, no Bayard in sight

"Takashi, Why are they calling you by our last name? why is everyone so young?" Lance tried to ignore the young look on his husband's face

"Uhhhhh....." Takashi moved, uncomfortable with his name being used so familiarly to someone he didn't seem to know.

"Don't you dare call him that!" Keith bit back, "Who are you?! Why do you know us?! HOW do you know us?" Keith tried to struggle, but with Lance practically sitting on him it was no use.

"I told you! I'm Lance!"

"No..." A young voice called from behind him, "I'm Lance."

Lance turned his head behind him to see his younger self, frail and thinly built, his hair slightly wet and his old clothes addressing the boys body.

"Oh, for heaven's sake..."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Abuela*- Grandmother/ grand-ma


	3. C is for Courage

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Universe 'B'
> 
>  
> 
> All Spanish is translated at the end. *
> 
> P.s I don't really care for this chapter, bit its finished and I don't want to rewrite it. So, I hope its better than I think it is.

"Uhhhh.... I'm so confused...." Hunk said staring between the two Lance's that showed themselves in front. 

"What the cheese! You're so little, does anyone even feed you?" Lance looked to the boy who looked just like him when he was younger

"I-I eat just enough thanks!" The young boy defended with a stutter, "Who are you? And you can't say you're me because that position is already filled!" 

"Well, I'm not exactly you...and it's not like this is the past.... otherwise I'd be back at the Garrison." Lance shivered at remembering the Garrison 

"You called me by my given name... so you have to know us somehow..." The man who looked like his husband but preferred to be called such an undermining version of his glorious name, commented

"Well, where I come from the whole team calls you by your given name."

"Where are you from exactly?" the smaller Lance asked moving towards Keith and silently connecting eyes, noticeably calming Keith.

"I'm from Earth, it's... well I actually don't know the exact year, but it's 16-5-2028 of the third Spaloofian movement in the castle," Lance shrugged his shoulders "My anniversary is today and it's a week away from when the Marmorite Blades are to visit us for the Galactic dinner." Lance shrugged and then began to mumble and rant to fill the silent air, "It's the eleven of us on the ship--" 

"Woah, Woah, Woah," Hunk put up his hands, thankfully stopping a rant that Lance wasn't sure how long would last, "Eleven? 

"Yeah," Lance thought for a second. Should he tell them everything he knows? Should he potentially put a rift in realities and mess everything up. "We have six more people than you guys do... I mean unless you have Allura and Coran too."  

"We do, they are just on the bridge," Hunk commented

"Don't tell him anything, Hunk! For all we know he's a Galra spy!"

"That's fair," Lance shrugged his shoulders

"So eleven people on a ship..." the small, and almost baby looking, version of Katie said looking Lance up and down, "That sounds too crowded, plus where did you even pick up these people? Were they on earth? Are they aliens?"

"Uh.... I don't feel as if I should answer that." Lance put up his arms

"I don't trust you," Keith bit out, his fist growing white with the anger and tenseness that he was ready to punch

"I'm not telling you to, Keith.... All I know is that I got really badly hurt the other day, was put into our cryopods and stumbled out here." Lance shrugged his shoulders "So, unless---" He paused, his face contorting and him mumbling something to himself in Spanish, "Wait, could it be?" Lance turned and sprinted back to the pods, he didn't care if the team followed him or not, he just simply wanted to look at it himself. Matt had always talked about the cryopods having a small matter of inter-dimensional or reality travel in them, and on that day Lance had joked that he'd be the one to activate it and send himself to a different reality. He got to the cryopod and kneeled in front of it, slowly taking it apart

"What in heaven's name are you doing?!" Allura's voice rang, Lance twitched like he would normally, his body shaking as he turned hoping that it was going to be his Allura and this all be some silly prank. They'd landed on a planet of shapeshifting people and Kyloo'u was a cool dude and all and his imitation of Lance was spot on, but this was not funny by any means. But he turned to see her small teenage self. He let out a sigh and turned back to his work. "Why is there an intruder in the castle? And why is no one doing anything about it?" She questioned the Paladins that ended up following Lance.  

"Princess, he's not an intruder... well, he is, but he's-" 

Lance tooned them out. Hearing them call his husband 'Shiro' and Allura 'princess' sent him back to the not-so-good-ol'-days. No one wanted to warm up to the princess, she seemed distant and cold. She knew what her father had done and she didn't want to face that he was one jump away from turning into Zarkon. Speaking about peace and showing a weapon that could force any race to forget their will and listen to Altean commands. He had ambition and power and love for his people, and it blinded him. Zarkon fed into his mind and the two almost made something.... Alfor even ended up killing his wife so that he could make a great nation. But he realized his error too late. He trapped Allura and Coran in the cryopods and waged war with Zarkon, giving himself up and allowing his planet to be killed as he watched his castle fly away with the last hope of the Altean culture. Knowing this, Allura was too afraid to open up, so everyone helped by calling her princess, hardly referring to her by name unless they were less than pleased or under duress. It wasn't until Takashi got kidnapped that Allura allowed her guard down (after her and Lance had an emotional falling out), allowed and preferred to be called her name. For some humanity to swim throughout the castle. She encouraged Lance and brought him out of a dark time. 

And with Takashi... since he and Lance shared the same last name they both responded to 'Shiro' or 'Shirogane'. Every time it reminded the two of when they were cadet and officer. One better than the other. The ridicule and disgust they got on their wedding day. The rejection and abandonment Takashi received from his parents because he was a 'predator' and 'not their son' anymore.

Neither were a happy memory, and Lance just lost himself in avoiding the conversations of broken teenagers behind him. He had the bottom panel from the cryopod open and a small body watching over him and memorizing how to do so as well. The one paladin that didn't seem to care if he was a threat or not, but more intrigued that the Cryopods could open so easily.  

"This is it," Lance said in a small gasp. Everything behind him stopped "It's part of a comet/ meteorite/ asteroid, that's what powers the cryopods on my... dimension as well." 

"Dimension?" Keith questioned, eyebrow raised

"I think, when Ma-- our engineers readjusted the cryopods to be more efficient they may have made an interdimensional portal of some sort, we talked and joked about it but I thought it was all just a fib to make me avoid getting hurt. But apparently they made a way to travel through realities. That's why nothing is the same here!" 

"That makes zero sense." 

"Keith, stop being such a hard head, it's not like we haven't been to another reality before," Lance said with a smirk

"So what's your reality like?" Katie's miniature asked

"I don't feel like I should talk about it.... I think I should just focus on getting home. Ignore me... and go back to what you normally do... I guess?"

 

Lance didn't want to face this team, it felt incomplete and scattered. A teenage team that was shot out into space is less practical than what they ended up doing. Space is so unforgiving to adults, let alone children. None of them wanted to face it, and he could tell, but they were kids taking on responsibilities meant for someone much older than them. Someone with some experiences of life under their belts. He didn't want to admit it, but he felt much more like a child than he imagined they did. He wasn't in space before he turned 18, and no one on the ship even looked 20! He felt that they were much braver than he, that they had faced harder things than he had to because they were not only warring with Zarkon but warring with their bodies and hormones. Lance remembered how Keith was at that age, glad he got out of his 'my way or the highway' phase before they went to space, that Katie was comfortable with who she was, Hunk grew into his kind hearted spirit, Takashi learned to ask for help and open up when he needed to, and that he (Lance) was able to grow out of all his phases... but these kids... they didn't and don't have that opportunity to grow before coming into space. They have to grow out here, and to Lance, that's a thousand times stronger than he thinks he could ever be. 

 

 

"You can't do this on your own," Shiro said protectively

"I've read up on enough engineering books, and my team has taught me enough... Lo tengo, cariño, no te preocupes*."

"What?" 

"He's got it..." the younger Lance said with a smile and added a slight slant to his hips

"Alright, but I don't trust him alone. I'm going to watch him," Keith said putting his hand on his hip and staring down Lance as he tried his best to ignore that all too familiar killer stare that stabbed at his back. 

"Keith, you and the other's need to go fill in Lance, our Lance, to the plan, I'll watch him over." Takashi--Shiro cut in. "When you're done we all can convene back here and figure out what to do about _him_."  The team silently agreed not pushing any of their opinions further as if this version of his husband were the dictator of how they operated. As if his word was the law... that's what Takashi feared, hence why Lance and Katie 'lead' with him. 

Once the team left Shiro stood at the other end of the room, arms crossed and back against the wall. 

"Do they normally follow you blindly?" 

"They don't follow blindly, they listen." 

"To commands, like children?" 

"What would you know?" Shiro asked, somewhat coarsely

"I know a lot more than you think I do, Taka--Shiro..." Lance said wincing at using that name for his husband but having to suck it up for this version of his husband to feel comfortable. 

"Just, focus on what you're doing." 

Lance felt the eyes of the man who is supposed to be the younger version of his husband stabbing his back and boring into his soul as if trying to get a read on him. That made Lance remember the first time Takashi tried to read him, it was this same feeling. Lance was being his normal fake happy and Takashi was not having it, so he tried to read him and Lance found out in an instant. Even though this version is small, and has an almost laughable child-air to him, he shared so much with his husband that it wasn't funny, however, this staring felt invasive. An invasive feeling that Lance would prefer to stop. 

"I would prefer you didn't try to burn a hole in my back," 

"What?" Shiro responded

"Your stare, it's practically slicing right through me... I'd appreciate you not look at me like you are ready to kill me."

"We've already had to deal with a clone, I'm just being cautious." 

"Cautious....right..." Lance then let it get quiet again "Can you just... uh, can you just.... Dime otra vez como se dice esto*? Uh uh... cambiar*...cambiar... cambiar... _cambiar_..." Lance was trying to think if the English word, for some reason it escaped his memory, "Change! Yeah! Shiro," Lance got Shiro's attention much sooner than when he called out for the man, his struggling to think of the word catching Shiro's attention. "Shiro, can you change with someone else? Your staring is really creeping me out?" Lance's voice sounded way too cheery for what was said, but he was happier that he remembered what the word was than what was said. 

"Uhh... sure..." Shiro said leaving the room and Lance alone to his devices. 

Lance focused more on what he was doing than the next individual that walked in. They weren't particularly interested in destroying him, potentially Katie's small version that entered, but he'd figure she'd at least ask him what he was doing or loom over him. But Lance was just trying to figure out how to reverse what happened.... which would help if he knew what happened... he let out a defeated sigh

"Need another pair of eyes?" 

It was, indeed, Katie's mini. 

"Thanks, Katie, but I don't even know what I'm trying to fix." 

"How.... how do you know...?" 

"Uhh...isn't that your name? What do they.... am I not supposed to call you that?" 

"I go by Pidge," 

"Sorry, I'll correct myself," Lance apologized full heartedly. He knew his Katie had gone through a questioning phase, except she didn't want to change her name. She was more questioning what she  _could_ be and where she felt comfortable. Lance understood what changing names and comfort meant to someone as small and young as Katie so he would do his damnedest to allow her that much. "But like I said, Pidge, it would help if I knew what I was trying to fix, I don't even know how or why I'm here. It's not like I opened a portal and you know 'beam me up Scotty'd' it..." 

"True," Katie's small version, going by Pidge, said thinking "Why don't we think about that later? Do you mind if I bring you to my 'lab' and run a few tests on you? If we can at least rule out that you're from this dimension then the others would be less hostile to you." 

"I don't you think that would make them more hostile? Thinking I came from another reality trying to take over this one?" 

"If your 'reality' was that much of a threat I doubt they'd send you, let alone you alone." Pidge smiled as if it were a compliment

"Thanks?" Lance smiled. Someone was being nice and reasonable. He'd have to note this down to tell Katie when he returned, and OH BOY was he telling his husband how much of an asshat he is in another universe! 

 

 

"What are you doing?" Keith asked as he walked in to Lance hooked up to many machines and Pidge running in with the team

"I can prove he's not from this universe!" 

"Oh, this will be good..." Little Lance said slightly leaning on Keith

"Go on," Shiro somewhat demanded

"I used myself, and Coran, as base notes." Pidge began, "So, in this universe, Altean or not, we have 14.5 nano-genes that move throughout the universe, but Lance, here, the older one not ours, has 6.2 nano-genes. Which mean's either our universe changed all of a sudden or the sun and air he breaths is at a different decibel than ours. He literally can't even be a clone because Kuron was at the same nano-gene than we were, I used a small skin cell that I have saved." 

"What's a nano-gene again?" Keith asked 

"A Nano-gene is just how our cells move. Like, the regeneration, the fact that they are in constant movement and constantly dying and stuff like that. Everyone in our universe has the same nano-gene and when someone's nano-gene is different they are clearly not from here." Hunk decided to explain, not that Pidge couldn't, but she didn't exactly hear the question because she was too proud of herself and she didn't wait to unhook Lance from all the computers he was connected to. She did have a side by side of his cells and her own, showing the movement much slower than theirs. 

"Oh, " Little Lance said, "So what does that mean? That he is from another dimension?" 

Pidge perked up hearing that, "Yeah! Science proves that this is in no way a Lance from our dimension, he's from a totally different place!"

The young team didn't want to believe it. They wanted another place to hold their hate, they wanted someone to be able to hate, to be allowed to hate. They didn't want to have to be comfortable and feel bad for someone and try to get them home too... they just wanted to be able to be bitter for once and it be acceptable, like with Sendak.   
But this was not the time, nor place, nor person. 

 

* * *

 

Two weeks passed and passed too fast for Lance and the young Paladin's liking. Life with the older version of their Lance was not okay. They all did their best to ignore him like he had asked them in the beginning. He only showed himself when he needed food and something to drink, otherwise, he was at the cryopods or in the training room, but he did simple fighting tactics in the simulator, nothing too fancy, and nothing above what even Pidge could do. They didn't think him much of a threat. 

Shiro didn't see why he thought himself such a hotshot, and why he was so damn fit if all he did was the basics and nothing over level 2. Shiro had made it to level 8 the other week, but that was stretching it, and this man looked like he could do more than level 2... Shiro didn't trust him at all. 

Lance didn't  _not_ trust any of them, but they weren't his family. He didn't have his little boy running around and playing with Tsuyoshi, he didn't have his husband to hold at night and sink into the warmth of, he didn't have his wife to coddle and adore nor hold on to and lose himself in her smell, he didn't have his version of any of the paladins, nor did this version of the blue lion even feel one iota like his. He felt a small prick of a purr in the back of his head the first night, he figured it was just him missing his husbands snoring, and when it vibrated his being awake the next morning he had to investigate. She looked the same, except her chipped paint. He got reprimanded by Keith for being so close to Voltron, to which Lance opted to never go see her again, but for some reason, she was in his head.

He didn't understand why Blue was in his head. She had never been this prominent in his head, he'd been the one to give her a voice, but this... the small crashing of waves, the small cawing of sea gulls, the giggling and the feeling of warm sand on his toes echoed throughout his body every so often as if she were trying to comfort him. Did any version of Lance work? Could he cuddle himself in her and find some sort of comfort? No... he couldn't do that to this version of himself, he remembers how fragile he was before Shiro and this 'Lance' didn't even seem to want Shiro, so Lance could only imagine how fragile he was. He couldn't take away something as important as a lion. 

Lance slept in the Cryopod room, against the cold floor, he said he didn't want to care, and he kept to himself. He shut everyone out, every friendly gesture and every chance to just get close to any of them. He obviously wanted to go home, and there was really nothing they could do. He was exhausted and it was getting noticablr with how depressed he was getting. 

 

 

The paladins all were just watching the older Lance spar with the same training bot again. It falling through the floor and him yell 'again' having the same hand-to-hand bot fall through the ceiling and come at him. He'd been at it for hours.

"It might be the same robot, but he's coming at it like it's a different one every time..." Keith commented confused, "It's level 2..."

"Show us what you can really do!" The small Lance called watching the bot fall through the floor for what felt the hundredth time

"Basics are important, Lance," Lance said, feeling weird talking to himself "I should polish my basics before running in with the hard stuff,"

"You chicken?" the young boy mimicked chicken noises as if trying to intimidate his older self

"I'm not chicken, I just don't see why I have to prove myself to you all." Lance shrugged, "But if you must, assuming the castles levels are the same," Lance took a breath and cocked a smirk.  He knew that as long as he'd been here he hadn't moved past level 3, he didn't want to, he wanted a mindless activity to get his body moving and his heart pumping, but levels 5 and up just took too much thought. Back home he and Takashi were able to pass level 40 together and alone level 36 was the highest he could go without almost killing himself. Takashi is on a whole other level, him and Keith almost in the 60's, Hunk in--who know's where, and Katie puttering around at 30 not even trying. Lance didn't want to go full force to 'prove' himself to the team, but then again, that's 5+ years on the castle, these kids have been here for how long? Lance still felt the rumble in his stomach to prove himself and to make these children be quiet, he stared up at the ceiling and let out a breath before he looked over to Shiro, smiled, and said: "Shiro, care to spar?" 

"No," Shiro put up a hand to refuse

"Ya, you'll hurt yourself," Keith commented, "Or he'll hurt you." 

"What do you care? I'm not your Lance." Lance pointed to Little Lance who crossed his arms in a gentle furry, "Plus, I'll bet it will be pretty evenly matched," Lance shrugged his shoulders, all he really wanted was the nostalgia in sparing with his husband, even though his body seemed nimble and lithe compared to his husbands, he still wanted to spar. 

"I don't want to hurt you," Shiro said cautiously

"Eh," Lance put up his hands, "Hurt me. You seem like you want to punch me anyway, giving you a freebie here." 

Shiro looked to the team then back to Lance, he scratched his head and let out a sigh, "Alright, but don't say I didn't warn you," 

Shiro moved in front of Lance, feeling like he was the center of attention. Lance took it upon himself to look over this smaller body and try to downsize his blocks. If he were to fight his husband at this height difference where would he punch? Stuff like that flowed through his brain as Shiro also tried to think of what Lance had up his sleeve. Lance didn't want to tell them that he could pin his husband in three easy steps, knock him off his feet and right onto his back. He wasn't going to tell them that, it would ruin the surprise of him beating their fearless, and 'god-like' leader. 

"Ready when you are~" Lance cooed all too familiarly as he placed his hands in a battle ready stance [[X](https://thumb1.shutterstock.com/display_pic_with_logo/239089/350829833/stock-photo-man-in-white-shirt-doing-fighting-stance-on-white-background-350829833.jpg)] which Shiro mimicked. Lance was going to let Shiro have the first move, it's what he allowed his husband to do countless times before Takashi found out the pattern of attacking and finding himself on the floor two minutes later. 

Shiro looked to not want to, he seemed to think he was going to injure Lance, as did the rest of the team. But Shiro let out another puff of hope that this would end soon and attacked. His footing solid, and somewhat sturdier than what Takashi had when he was this young and 'spry', but Lance snickered at the similarities and easily dodged the first attack letting Shiro have a hint that this was not going to be as easy as he thought it would be.  Shiro let out a huff as he tried to catch Lance with the back of his foot, however, Lance simply caught it in his right hand and jostled Shiro forward to his stomach letting out a grunt of surprise. 

"Oh, come on now,  _Shiro_!" Lance taunted, as he would his husband, "Let's fight, not dance~," 

"Shiro, use the top 5!" Keith called

"OooOoo, Yeah!" Lance cheered, as Shiro came at him again. Shiro was trying to punch him, and this seemed like pure anger, Lance knew if he got caught by one of those fists it would hurt for a year. Especially if it hit his chest where he had yet to fully heal. Shiro moved to try to flip Lance on his ass as he swiped Lance's feet, more like tried, as Lance jumped over the leg and cartwheeled backward. "What's that two?" Lance dodged Shiro's fist again as he lunged at him, seeing Shiro breath hard and angrily as if he really did want to hit and hurt Lance that badly. "After three more, well now two more, I'll show you my tricks, 'kay?" Lance giggled at the team chanting for Shiro, no doubt in their minds that Shiro would win. 

 

Shiro had exhausted himself. He was puffing air from the attacks and Lance had only run away, his five best fighting tactics avoided by this older version of their shooter Lance.

"My turn?" Lance asked putting his hands up as if to punch.

"Just try to get my off my feet,"  

"Oh trust me, Shiro, my moves will just _floor_  you," Lance winked, innocently as he ran forward, a little faster than what Shiro expected at this exhaustion level. He did best to avoid the punch aimed right for his face, only to get hooked at the back of the head and his body split in half met with a knee to the stomach. The loud grunt that left his mouth surprised him more than anything. He staggered refusing to fall and was about to fight back when Lance appeared behind him, grabbing onto his chin, placing the top of his foot on the back of Shiro's and flipped him, what felt 180 degrees forcing him to land right on his back with his legs curling in front of him [[X](https://youtu.be/84Q12YECtuM?t=2m8s)]. Shiro let out a gasp and thumped his legs to the ground beside him as he slowly sat up and looked to Lance. 

Lance looked down cast, his face disappointed and almost... lonely? He mostly looked like he was troubled and in pain. 

"Happy?" Lance asked as he looked to the team who were just speechless, he rested his hand on his chest as it begged and pleaded for him to take a break. He turned from Shiro so that he couldn't see the pain in his eyes. 

"Where did you learn how to fight like that?!"

"I wouldn't be an asset to the team if I didn't know how to protect myself," Lance gripped his chest tighter, feeling like he was a total idiot but _man, it was so worth it!_ "Sorry, I should go study the cryopod more. I've taken up enough time in the training room..." Lance jogged out of the room and down to the cryopods. 

"He's scary..." little Lance commented

"He's been doing basics up until today, he's hiding a lot more than his skill on the battlefield. I have a feeling we can't really trust this version of Lance," Shiro said truthfully as he slowly got up from the ground

"I'm going to go talk to him," Hunk said

"Uh, no you're not!" Little Lance said scandalized "He literally just forced Shiro to the ground and could've pinned him and beat his ass more. He could kill you, Hunk!" 

"With that skill, he could've killed us a long time ago. I'm just going to see if I can't help with whatever he's trying to do to the cryopod." 

 

 

 

"Hey, Lance" Hunk said as he walked into the room trying to not startle Lance, however, the older male didn't respond. "I'm here to see if you need any help with--" 

"Can you just go? I'm trying to figure this out." 

Hunk noticed all the Altean hologram 'whiteboard'-like note pads, all the foreign books that had been 'stolen' from the library and the written notes that Lance had written in several different dialects, only one in English. 

"No one engineer can do this alone." Hunk tried to convince him

Lance let out a sigh, "Sheet number six, that's the only one you can understand... I think, not sure if the written language is a constant." Hunk wrinkled his eyebrows as he walked over to the holo-note with the number six in the top right corner. He passed notes with several languages Hunk didn't even want to know, a few he'd seen before, and Altean script and the Galra language written out all in Lance's handwriting.

"You know... you know Altean and the Galra language?" Hunk commented as he looked at the English notes

"I know a lot of languages. It's helped when we've gone on missions and need to talk to races that we don't know. It's really helped the...my team--" Lance caught himself let out a sigh

Hunk hesitated but decided to screw the filter and just say what he was thinking, "I'm sure you miss them a lot," 

"I do... I just, I need to find a way back, if we could just make it to the Hunsday Moon then they could at least help me, or even Slav! Do we know where he is? He'd be one of the only ones to understand." Lance ran his hand through his hair and then brought in a strong hiss as his scar sent a sharp pain through his body. He really should've just kept the slow pace with training and not challenge Shiro. 

"Lan--" Hunk started worried but was interrupted

"I'm f-fine..."

"Please... don't push me away, let me help," Hunk left the note as he let out a concerned 'humf'

"Sorry, I'm just trying to deal with a lot right now," Lance let out a sigh as Hunk cupped his face and forcefully removed his gaze from the cryopod. 

"So, you're trying to deal with it by shutting us all out and working on it by yourself? These two weeks have been hell for you, we're just trying to wrap our heads around it too." 

"Ah, always the wise one," Lance closed his eyes and let himself relish in Hunk's strong, apparently interdimenstionally constant, comforting and large hands,"I just.... there's so many things that are different here and I'm just, lost? I don't have _my_ team, or my family--ya know?--and It's not like this one isn't great, but I need time to get used to it, but on the other hand, I'm not sure  _how_ to or if I want to."

"Give me some examples, other than age (which I know)," Hunk said, "How are we so different?" 

"I don't know... I feel like if I say anything then I'll make like a dimensional rift and destroy both our realities.... I don't want to share too much." 

"Lance, we can't help you unless you tell us what's up." Lance jolted when he felt Shiro's presence pop up, he didn't even realize that he was there, let alone being not as hostile as usual and not on the ground moping as Takashi did for a little when he had been defeated in his reality. 

"Fine," He caved, always, for Takashi's words and apparently it was no different for this version, "I'll only talk for a little and answer a few questions I know you guys have," Lance said knowing that this was the best idea and he had to deal with it. No matter how much he didn't want to talk to them, he was doing the exact opposite that he'd tell his younger self to do if this was reversed. He'd be telling himself to confide in someone, to talk it out and talk it over. To tell them about where he came from so that he could get an idea of where they were coming from and the boundaries that they held. He'd tell his self to just take a breath and calm down, to not over do it, and to listen to his heart over his head... 'bout time he took his own advice. 

 

 

Hunk brought Lance to the common room where the rest of the team was waiting as if they talked about meeting with him or ambushing him to give answers, his younger self with Keith draped around him comforting him as Takashi had several times at this age. Lance couldn't look them in the eyes, weirded out that Keith and Lance seemed to have his and Takashi's dynamic in this reality, as Hunk ushered him to sit down beside him.

Lance let out a breath.

"I'll answer a few questions you guys have." The group perked up and all seemed to lean forward 

"Why don't you start from the beginning? Like, how you got here." Pidge said first

"I already told you that I got really badly hurt and was put into a cryopod," Lance looked to them for agreement and then continued, "I wasn't hurt by accident, I sacrificed myself... again." 

"What do you mean?" Little Lance asked confused

"I was protecting those I love... and sacrificed myself." 

"You literally just repeated what you said," Keith said confused

Lance let out a sigh, He didn't want to... but he should. They were just as lost and confused as he is and the best thing to do is answer some questions and in turn, ask some.

"It would be easier to show you..." Lance stood, his words seeming to fail him right now. He turned his back to the team to show his back scar first and took off his shirt in a slow pained motion. The team's gasps told him the scar was still there but Hunk's face showed that the front scar was much worse. "My... team says I have a terrible martyr complex... my Keith and I have matching back scars from when we tried to save an asteroid with an explosive attached to it and, well, we almost died." He painfully laughed as he turned around to show the terrible, half-healed, burned, somewhat unkempt and infected looking scar right in the middle of his chest from the middle-right of his sternum to a few inches above his belly button, "this one is unique to me..."

"OH, my god.... how the hell did you get that?" Keith asked looking horrified as did all the others, but he was the only one to utter any words whereas the others just stared

"Zarkon..." The name jolted everyone. Lance continued as he ran his hand over it, disgusted and facing the scar for the first time since he got here, "I was on a mission with Takashi--m-my Shiro-- and Allura... I'd been practicing with Keith and thought I could take him one on one...and ended up being stabbed and almost losing my life..." Lance wanted to cry thinking of the faces of Takashi and Allura, the faces of his husband and wife.... but he kept that to himself. 

"Why face Zarkon alone?" Shiro questioned in a 'you should know better' tone

"I wanted to protect Takashi and Allura, and I thought I could.... but I should've listened to him, knowing all too well that Zarkon was on a different level than my Keith..."

"Why--" As Shiro began to ask the next question Lance put on his shirt again, knowing the pained faces all too well "--does your team call me so familiarly, are we really that close?" 

"Well, it's more like you're married and they reacted to the name too... so it was just easier to call you by your given name, you were the one to decide for us all to call you by it." Lance shrugged, "You're partner called you by your given name anyway, so it just kind of started."

"Who..." Shiro closed his eyes, afraid to ask, but opened them and asked confidently, "Who is my partner--i-in your reality?" 

"I don't want to answer that," Lance said in a strong tone as he sat back down a little farther from Hunk than before

"Are we all married in your reality?? What are our lives like?" Keith persisted

Lance let a sigh escape as he looked at the ground not wanting to tell them, "I really feel like it could change things here if I tell you guys. If you persist I will tell you, but that's because you are choosing for the potential to change how you feel about each other because of how things are in my reality." 

"I want to know about my life in your universe," Keith said

"Please, tell us," Shiro said in an almost pitiful tone, his eyes showing what Lance knew was the 'who'd want to marry me' emotion. Then Shiro repeated: "Who am I married to?"

Lance looked to them, specifically Shiro, "Shiro... Shiro, you're married to... to Allura--" Shiro choked and stared at Lance with wide eyes, "--and me."

"WHAT?!" Little Lance stood "Both?! How?" His voice squeaked

"We had this thing during the Garrison," Lance began to explain, even though Shiro's eyes went dark. He felt like he was defending himself more than anything, "and after I became of age we got married. We found Allura and Coran and tried to help them form Altean culture back, but then Zarkon happened.... he kidnapped Takashi and I ended up marrying Allura thinking Takashi was dead... while he was gone Allura and I... well, we got married. She was there for me when I was in a deep depression." Lance looked ashamed, even though he knew he shouldn't be, "When we got Takashi back Allura was so happy, and a year after he was back they got married and then they had a kid..." 

"I... I have a kid?" 

"A daughter," Lance smiled

"What about me?" Keith asked, "Anything about my mother? My father?" 

"All we know about your father is that he was arrested for treason, that's why he 'left'. Your mother is a General of the Marmorite Blades, but she's unreachable and has been MIA for a while, the Blades recognized her knife the second you showed it to them. They have some of the most devoted Galra trying to find her for you."

"Oh and me?" Pidge quirked an eye "Am I married?"

"You're married to your work more than anything. But, unlike here," Lance let out a breath and looked around just to double check, "You have a sidekick to help you keep your cool and your focus."

"Oh? And who would that be?" 

"Matt."

"I have Matt in your universe?!" 

"Yeah, I don't know about here, but he's your twin. And you go by Katie back at home." 

"That's why you called me Katie," She said then thinking

"What about big ol' Hunk?" Hunk pointed to himself "Am I married? Aspirations? Stuff like that?" 

"You?" Lance smiled fondly "You're married, with an adopted son. You are one of the most profound engineers in the universe, you and Matt have made medicine that transcends anything we had on Earth. You and your Husband make up a very powerful part of the team, him and his amazing fighting skills and you to make his skills into fighter bots that help us occasionally in battle."

"Husband?? Who?" Hunk asked looking at Lance like hearing he was married to another man was a shock

Lance looked to Keith and shrugged gesturing towards Keith, "Keith."

"And we have a kid?" Keith said like he didn't believe it

"When we were on a water planet you two found a kid that was abandoned by his parents, it was your idea to take him in and you two adopted him into the group." 

"How old are all of we?" Pidge asked, curious because everyone was friggin married. 

"I'm 27, Hunk's 27, Keith's 29, Takashi is 35, Katie and Matt are 25, and Allura is 26." 

"We're adults? How is that possible?" Keith asked

Lance ignored the questions and them all not believing him and what he said. He looked to Shiro who looked so scandalized, he looked so broken and so lost. Lance knew that look... but he couldn't do anything. He couldn't hold Takashi because this wasn't Takashi, this was  _Shiro._

"What's your role on the team?" Little Lance asked

"My role?" 

"Yeah, like what do you do?" 

"I'm the diplomat of the team, the sniper when needed, and, I guess, the 'stay-at-home-dad' when Coran wants to go on missions." Lance shrugged, his apparent default motion

"A diplomat?" Keith raised a brow

"Coran goes on missions?" Hunk snickered

"Uhh--yeah, Coran is quite the good fighter, and he know's mechanics really well." Lance answered Hunk and then looked to Keith, "I'm the diplomat because I know over 50 different Alien dialects, in my reality, we don't have voice changers or ways to be able to understand other alien languages. So, being the only one on the team with another language under my belt, and being willing to learn, I taught myself languages." Lance shrugged.

Allura walked in suddenly, jolting Lance to stand and look at her with a broken hearted glimpse. She seemed to hear everything as her face was sour and she seemed to have words stuck on her tongue. He knew this look too well, the look of her thinking but worrying of offending him or saying something that was passable on Altea but totally out of bounds in Earth culture. 

"Allura, I--"

"Do not refer to me so familiarly." She snapped, but then closed her eyes and tried to calm as she shifted her weight and asked: "What of Altea?"

"Gone. You had sent out a distress signal and we tried to answer it, but the signal itself was sent too late for us to help you save Altea... but... in my universe, you didn't want to save it." Everyone stared at him, glued to every word he was about to say

"How dare you--" Allura looked ready to attack him

"I'm not saying that's how you are here, Allu--Princess..." Lance bit his tongue feeling like he was betraying every fiber of his being calling his wife and mother to his child by the name she now detested "Y-your father, King Alfor, was falling down the same path as Zarkon. He was manipulating and killing people. He wanted to create a weapon that destroyed the wills of others so that they could follow Altea and Zarkon without question.... he tested it on your mother first and ended up killing her in the process." Lance felt tears stream down his face as he felt a heart-wrenching pain of when they watched Alfor's video logs, Alfor's mind slowly slipping and Allura an emotional pile of goo when they watched them. "He found out too late, after she died and after you were 14, that he was too late to change his destiny. He challenged Zarkon to a war and fought it for two years before telling you to send a distress signal and putting you and Coran in the cryo-stasis and sending the castle off before he fought Zarkon sword to sword and died...." Lance looked to the ground, "Altea was destoryed, no one left but you and Coran. Zarkon only want's you guys to be dead, that's his one want in life is to kill all Alteans because of the traumatizing betrayal his best friend stabbed him with."

"What about Voltron?" Allura asked, "That was my father's legacy!" Lance could tell in her voice that she didn't want to believe this

"Hunk and Katie made Voltron (with minimal help from Matt and Slav)?... not Alfor." Lance said confused, looking to the team then back to Allura, "Alfor had nothing to do with Voltron..."

"Woah..." Hunk and Pidge commented as they looked to each other

"What about the former paladins? What about the bond and peace that Voltron brought?!" 

"Voltron didn't exist until we built it.... Alfor only wanted manufactured peace, and to control those around him...." Lance looked to her, "However, this was my Alfor, not yours. I can't imagine what your Alfor was like... care to tell me about him?" Lance could feel the tension rising and wanted nothing more than to see her calm and not so angry at him, her eyes seemed to burn and hold only disgust for him at this point and he wanted it to boil down a little. He knew how she used to get when angry, she was not like this in his universe anymore, but apparently, she still knew Anger very well here. 

"He was the best father, kind and generous. He only cared about real peace and harmony. He created Voltron and was  _nothing_ like Zarkon!" She formed her hands into fists

Lance stood, walking towards her. He felt terrible bringing his wife to tears. He knew it wasn't his version of her but he still felt his heart burn. He didn't get close to her before she reared back and motioned to punch him. He thought for a second to let her punch him, to let her abuse him because he'd obviously made her feel trapped and cornered, but instead, he grabbed her fist which came close to his face. 

" _Allura,_ " Lance said coarsely looking down to her, his face broken and torn "Do not take your anger out on me," Lance remembered the first time Allura punched him. The first time she got so mad at him that she attacked him. He commented on how she was no longer a princess, on how the team didn't need to refer to her as a power that didn't exist anymore because Altea was dead, like her father. It was all true, and he did regret that he didn't comment it with more tact, but she still reacted with beating him and breaking a rib or two. 

"Princess!" The team gasped and some what stood to defend Lance

"Get your hand off of me!" She reared her other fist. Lance cringed at what he was about to do, he didn't want to.... but he had to show this Allura he wasn't going to bend over like some small child and let her beat on him. He pulled her forward from his grip on her fist, making her fall forward off balance, he moved to the left and placed his foot under her shin and lifted it off the ground so she couldn't find her footing and watched her fall face first on the ground. He bent to one knee still holding her fist, he heard the teams displeasure in the act and Shiro even ran over to remove him from her, "You dare put you're hands on me!" 

"You were going to put your hands on me,  _Princess_ , I was only defending myself. Which, unlike your paladins, I can actually do." Lance stood and let go of her before Shiro could reach him "I'm leaving. No more questions, I'm not welcome here and focusing all my energy on telling you about a universe that I may never return to is a complete waste of my time." Lance didn't smile as he waved behind him and left the common room. 

"Princess, are you alright?" Shiro asked as he helped her up. She looked defeated and also scared

"I am alright, thank you," 

"What is up with him?" Little Lance commented as he folded his arms

"Like I said," Shiro wrinkled his face, "We don't know this Lance. We can't trust him if he can have an outburst like that... I can only imagine what else he can do. We can't trust anything he says or does." 

 

* * *

 

 

Lance looked to the cryopod, wondering what he was missing, what he could possibly do to kick start this or stop something else... just get him back home. He wasn't welcome here with his hostile wife and unstable husband. He didn't know them like he knew his family, he didn't have Ronney to cuddle, Ama to blabber to, Takashi to melt into, Allura to braid her hair, Keith to spar, or Hunk to chill with. He had nothing of his reality. He had people yelling screaming and trying to abuse him. He'd been abused enough in his past, he's been yelled ay by the Garrison, and he's been screamed at by the Galra far too much for him to take any more of it. He knew this team would prefer him gone, and he would love to be gone as well. Two weeks from his family was far too much. The Marmorite Blade must have already met with the team, and he couldn't wait for that story; the Glakin Clan meeting was in two days would have to be postponed or canceled unless he showed up because Keith only knew 'greetings' and 'no' and the rest of the team knew less than that in the Glakin tongue. 

The dim blue hue of the cryopods made him think of Blue a little, his version of her non-existent and he was too afraid that Keith would attempt at his head if he went to see this version of her again. Lance had no right being here, the team had much more to worry about than a stowaway trying to get back home to another universe. He knew, he could feel it in his bones, that his husband and wife were worse off.... but at the same time.... they had each other and he has no one.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *Lo tengo, cariño, no te preocupes - I have it, dear, don't worry  
> *Dime otra vez como se dice esto - How do you say it again?  
> *cambiar - to change  
> \---------  
> Hey, guys! I'm all settled in to College YAY! I should be updating at least once a week if not bi-weekly!! Hop you all liked this update and hope to hear from you!


	4. D is for Desire

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Universe 'A'

He was not okay. He was so out of it and just roaming around without a thought or a word. His daughter with Hunk and Keith who were in the common room of the ship and Ronney sticking with Matt as of late. Takashi didn't really know how to talk to him after his insane, and uncalled for, outburst a couple days ago.

 

It had been two full weeks, but already felt like an eternity and Takashi felt so paralyzed without his husband, and Allura wasn't any better. They were all messing up the dynamic, Keith and Hunk trying their best to cheer up the team, Katie and Matt trying to take Takashi and Allura's mind off of the fact Lance was gone, however, none of them knew what they were doing. None of them could pretend to be the husband that the two didn't have at night and no one could be the father to the child that regularly asked about his father, and none of them could be a man they weren't. None of them knew as many languages as Lance, none of them knew how to fight like him, none of them knew how to be a sharp shooter, none of them knew how to hold themselves with such confidence, none of them knew how to make this team work without him here. Whenever Takashi or Allura were down, or any of them for that matter were down, it was Lance to lift them. He was there with some timely words and encouragement, he brought his own life struggles and never made the team seem like their problem was any less their problem. 

The whole team just broke down, realizing that aspect was gone.

 

 

ONE DAY. One single day passed and the team already had no idea what they were doing. When Takashi saw the cryopod empty and Matt trying to explain what had perspired Takashi didn't really listen. He was more focused on the fact that Lance was indeed gone. Takashi ended up stressing about who was going to take the diplomatic stance since none of them knew any other languages, and then that's when Takashi realized just how important his husband really was to the team. Just how much he loves and cares and how much the team, essentially the universe, depended on this one man. He wondered how his husband ever dealt with everything that was on his plate. When he returned Takashi and Lance would have to have a talk about the ridiculous amount of responsibility he held on his shoulders, as broad as they are they were not meant to carry this much.

Two days passed and Takashi realized sparing with Keith wasn't the same as Lance. Keith held back. Takashi could pin Keith in few steps and just felt so.... separated from himself. Lance would actually pose a challenge. Takashi found it hard to look at Ronney, Lance's little copy and paste. He smiled and laughed almost just like Lance. Takashi tried to be happy that Ronney could still laugh, but it's not like Ronney knew his father was missing anyway.

Three days moved away from Takashi and he found himself in the training room fighting with level 60 bots, screaming and grunting as they mercilessly threw him on the ground breaking a rib or two with their staffs or cutting his body up with their swords.  He drove his mind into fighting and avoiding his team, in tactics to escape to avoid forming Voltron, to do anything against the Galra without Lance's assistance. But.... it was going to be hard. 

Four days escaped Takashi. He found that he and Allura hadn't talked in this span of time, both sleeping separately anyway because he usually found himself in the training room passed out or hunched over his desk. However, when he tried to talk to her he realized that only an argument would cement from them meeting. Lance was the calm between their personality barriers. She was strict and course just like him, and when two people like that come together they tend to not see eye to eye. 

 

_Takashi walked in to the bridge of the ship. Allura was staring at the stars, her mind wandering and her hair messy and unkept. She always hated how whenever she worried her hair would be the first to cave and show that she wasn't okay. She had her hand placed on the glass as she stared at the expanse of space thinking of nothing but getting her husband back._

_"Allura," Takashi started speaking but stopped when she turned and looked at him coarsely, tears staining the corners of her eyes. He silenced right then and there fearing of overstepping._

_"Takashi, I'm not okay. You know this and yet you seek me out?"_

_"Allura, I love you," Takashi tried to smile "I want to make sure that you are alright."_

_"I am very far from alright, Takashi..." She let a tear escape down her cheek, she seemed aggravated and quickly wiped her chin, "He's gone and I'm alone."_

_"You're not alone, I'm right here,"  He went in for a hug but was stopped by her hand_

_"You haven't been here for four days Takashi. You've been having your own pity party ignoring your family and your responsibilities. Hugging you is not the same. I do not want a pity hug from my husband who's been ignoring me, Takashi. I want--"_

_"You want him..." Takashi let out a sigh, "I know, I want him too. But right now we can't do anything. We need to focus on how we are going to function without him rather than how--"_

_"We are going to find him, first and foremost." he sounded scandalized and backed up as much as she could "We do not need to learn how to function without him when we are going to get him back."_

_"Slav and Matt are working on it, we have to leave it to them--"_

_"That's not what he would do--It's not what he did! He searched for you until he almost died! He begged and pleaded to be left alone unless he was desperately needed so that all his time could be consumed by finding you. He was in the cryopods for days at a time because he forgot his nourishments and became malnourished! He cared more for you than a mother to a child. He chose to love you and you the same to him and yet you tell me to forget about saving him from wherever he is and move on?!"_

_"Allura, please--"_

_"You don't deserve him! Especially if your thoughts are to leave him behind and assume that we'll never get him back! You should've been the one to be stabbed and placed in the cryopod only to vanish! IT SHOULD BE YOU!"_

 

Five days and Takashi felt completely alone. Allura didn't allow him into the shared room, locking his DNA code from entering shunning him to the old room that he and Lance used to share. He curled in the smaller bed all alone and kept to himself. 

Six days and Takashi was reminded, again, of why Lance was so needed on this team. Today was the day they were to meet with the Marmorite Blade, they had some sort of news for the team but with their select English, the team didn't know what they wanted unless Lance was there to translate. The Galra language too complex for anyone else on the ship to even want to deal with it. Kolivan was the best option, his English decent, but he still didn't understand a lot of more complex English words. 

 

_"Where is the blue one?" Kolivan asked, his face up on the screen along with his two second-in-commands_

_"Missing, for now," Allura responded_

_"This will not be fortunate. We could hold off until the blue one appears."_

_"We are not sure when that will be, Kolivan" Allura cringed saying what she didn't want to say_

_"..." Kolivan waited a moment, "You look unwell. We will board in a movement and care for you and your team in the Blue one's absence. He cared for you as a Blade to a Brother and, apparently, you all have forgotten how to care for yourselves. When he returns we will tell of the news and then be on our way."_

_"I and the Voltron team are alright. We do not need--"_

_"We will anticipate your arrival." Takashi interrupted "Thank you,"  He closed the communications and almost turned away before Allura grabbed him and stopped him in his tracks._

_"Takashi, do not undermine my authority like that!" Allura scolded_

_"Excuse you, but I run this team." he pulled his arm out of her grasp_

_" **We** run this team," Katie pitched in, "You, me, and.... Lance..." _

_"Well, Lance isn't here right now, and you're just a young adult. I'm taking over. The Marmorite Blade wants to help and the last thing we need is our best ally in this war hating us. We need them right beside us, and willing to fight along side us. This is final and I am not taking any opposition to this."_

_"Takashi, can I talk to you?" Keith asked loudly, standing as if to leave the room and not make a scene_

_"Tell me right here, Keith," Takashi said_

_Everyone knew by now that Allura and Takashi were on edge, that they were falling apart and not even a week had gone by. They all missed the blue paladin and they all avoided the assumption of claiming that someone had to fill his position... no one could possibly take his place. But this? This was just ridiculous._

_"You need to calm down," Keith tried to calmly say in a 'you-supposed-to-be-the-older-one-here-so-act-like-it' voice, however, Takashi didn't receive it like that._

_"That's rich coming from you."  Takashi talked down to Keith, scrunching his nose in disapproval_

_"Don't take that tone with me!" Keith raised his voice_

_"I'm leading this team, I think I know what I'm doing." Takashi squinted his eyes_

_"No, you don't. That's why Lance lead the team from the background, with your face as our leader, and then decided to share the responsibility. He knew that you weren't cut out for leading the team the second the two of you talked about it. You get over your head and start acting ignorant and like you command everything around you. You bark out orders and force us to blindly trust you, put us in challenging positions then blame us for getting ourselves there and forcing us to make a hard decision (via life or death)."_

_"Lance is not here, for all we know he's dead." Takashi deadpanned forcing Keith to actually gasp at the statement, "I am not waiting for my stagnant husband to come back from the grave and assume his place right by my side. He's gone, I'm here, and I know for a FUCKING FACT, Keith, that you are not going to lead this team. You are not ready to lead this team, nor would I trust you to lead. I'm surprised you can even be a fath--"_

_"Fuck you, Takashi!" Keith shouted scaring himself and interrupting Takashi from finishing that word, "At least I AM a fucking father to my child! You'd rather wallow in your pity missing someone who we all miss than take care of Ama or Ronney! Stop thinking only of yourself, Takashi."_

_"I'm dealing with the loss of my husband, Keith, not some friend who you argued and bitched with. He actually meant something to me, unlike--"_

_"HOW, FUCKING, DARE YOU!! HE MEANT THE WORLD TO ME!" Keith lunged at Takashi but was stopped by Hunk. Takashi crossed his arms, settled in confidence that Hunk was going to side with him, but with a kiss on Keith's face and a cup of his cheek Keith was collected and Hunk shot Takashi a look that broke his heart._

_What had he done?_

_"Takashi, back off," Hunk slowly spoke, his voice deep as he stood tall and strong. His build twice Takashi's and he would easily be able to throw Takashi to the floor or out the air-lock door. Hunk pulled Keith behind him, placing his hand on Keith's side and pulling him close to Hunk's back calming himself in feeling his husband was there. Keith hugged around his husband as if to hold him back as well from lashing out and beating on their new self-appointed leader as well as calm himself more with the feeling of his husband near. "You're not the only one hurting because he's gone." Hunk continued, "Lance was part of my life much longer than he's been part of yours; Keith knew Lance in classes at the Garrison and even a little before that, they bonded when Keith felt like an alien and Lance brought him out of a depression that I couldn't and that almost pushed Keith to take his life; Katie and Matt are internally suffering because they are missing their brother in arms; Lance's like an older brother to the two of them, he helped Katie through her questioning phase and helped Matt through his entire transition. He was there! Your own wife and children are suffering but you are choosing to ignore everyone else's pain because you want to suffer on your own. Dig yourself out of the fucking sand, Takashi. We don't need a leader, we need a friend right now. We've already lost Lance, don't let us lose you too."_

 

Seven days and nothing changed. Allura couldn't even look at Takashi without becoming steaming in anger. He chose to be a leader and ignore Hunk's words. Ignore what Hunk was saying even if it was the truth. The Marmorite Blades were already 'plaguing' the ship and forcing them all to be healthy, however, they realized soon enough that Takashi and Allura were the only ones not taking care of themselves. Hunk and Keith spared with some of their best friends in the Blade, also asking about Keith's mother and venting (as much they could with broken English) to them a little about how much the team is slowly crumbling without Lance. Tsuyoshi seemed to understand what was going on, he caught on fast when Keith had his first melt down day one. Tsuyoshi decided to be there for his fathers, and for their sake, never leave their sight. It was exhausting being a 'quiet and good' boy. He wanted to be himself and ask questions, wonder where Uncle Lance went, wonder why Lance left, wonder _if_ he was coming back.... but every answer he seemed to somehow get a hold of only brought more and more questions along with it. 

Eight Days and Ronney was not leaving the cryo-room. Everyone heard the argument, they heard Takashi scream at Ronney and tell him his father abandoned them and probably was never coming back. So, Ronney hid himself in a room with Slav and Matt, hiding behind his father's empty cryopod only moving when Matt asked him or when Matt asked for a hug because he was having a hard day (knowing Ronney needed a hug and just pretending he needed a hug) and they embraced for hours saying nothing and just letting Ronney cry or hold onto Matt like he was his lifeline. Matt decided that Ronney would be his responsibility, for the time being, Takashi was unstable, Allura was unpredictable right now, and Ama was being coddled by the Blade and Keith that Matt didn't have to worry about her. She didn't even understand what was going on, let alone that her parents were warring with each other. 

_"Where's Uncle Lance?" Tsuyoshi asked, not out of curiosity but more out of fact, as he followed Keith who held Ama close to his chest and hummed._

_The three were on their way towards the Blade's common area, that they took over, to talk about some tactics that would be helpful with the lack of the Blue Paladin._

_"What do you mean?" Keith asked, moving Ama a little so he could hold his son's hand in an attempt to comfort him_

_"Well, Uncle Takashi.... h-he was really angry earlier."_

_"You heard that?"_

_"Daddy, everyone heard that..."_

_"Right..." Keith let out a sigh "well, Uncle Lance vanished."_

_"What? Vanished? Where did he go?"_

_"Tsuyoshi, you're old enough to understand, so I'll tell you: we don't know." Keith stopped and kneeled so he could look at his son. "Lance is missing, when he was in the cryopods something happened and he disappeared. Right now we are trying to get him back, and Papa is doing his best to find a solution with Auntie Katie, Uncle Matt, and Granpa Slav. But what we are going to do, is figure out what to do in the meantime. Since Uncle Lance is gone, for now, and we still have a universe to defend the Marmorites are going to help us."_

_"So... Uncle Lance is missing?"_

_"Yes, but you know what?"_

_"What?" Tsuyoshi looked to his father, his eyes wanting to cry, wanting to just gush out in pitiful affection_

_"We are going to find him."_

_"Really?!"_

_"Count on it."_

 

Nine days brought a calming peace to the ship. There were no fights, no yelling, no screaming, but also... no Black Paladin? Takashi had gone out. He stormed out last night and decided to sleep in a pod and float beside the castle as he argued with himself. Everyone could see him pacing in the pilot's room through a camera Katie hacked into to make sure that he wasn't hurting himself, flailing his arms and sobbing to himself. He was ripping himself apart emotionally and he needed someone to stop that and hold him together. Takashi was breaking, more so than the Galra could ever hope to do. Takashi is his own worst enemy, as every one is. Takashi stayed out there all day, and only when the ship was in a deep sleep-stasis did he return only to go into the training room to fight bots. 

Ten days and Takashi quietly walked around, his eyes holding heavy bags under them, his limbs feeling numb, and he couldn't really find who he was anymore. He agreed with anything said, the leader of Voltron stepped down three days into leading the team on his own, just learning that it was too much a burden for him to bear alone. Begging Keith, Hunk, and Katie to help. 

 

_"Guys..."  Takashi entered the bridge, everyone squaring off ready to defend themselves but quickly relaxed seeing how broken his face was, how his eyes were glazed over with sorrow and abundant with eye-crusties. He looked like a zombie ready to just be shot and end its life, a lover depressed ready to leap off a bridge.... a leader ready to resign._

_"Takashi?" Katie hesitantly asked_

_"I'm.... I'm not okay..." He admitted, "I was talking to myself last night and realized that Lance would have me share my feelings with him.... but he's not here... so... my feet, I don't know, they brought me here.... so hear me out?" Takashi waited for them all to shake their heads as he then, and only then, continued talking, "I've treated you all as if you're cadets in the Garrison rather than my team and my family. I'm a terrible person. I'm so SO sorry... I know that saying that wont change what I've already said and it won't change what I've become. But... you all know I'm just so lost right now. I feel so alone and so incomplete as if part of my heart vanished with him. I'm suffocating in my own sorrow and I'm letting it drown me and drag me to the depths. I..." Takashi choked as he scratched his eyes letting more and more tears out. He was sick of crying, but how else was he supposed to deal with all of this? "I need your help... I need help in general." He whined out._

_He felt a crash to his chest, air falling from his lips as he felt a boulder knocked into him. He looked to the little body holding onto him. Katie cried with him, holding onto him dear as she stuffed her face in his chest._

_"We're here for you," Hunk said placing a large hand on Takashi's shoulder_

_Keith moved forward, slowly until he was sandwiching Katie between the two, "Finally." Keith let out in a sigh of relief as he too just soaked in the presence of Takashi rather than the dictator Leader he had become._

 

Eleven days in and there was still no sign of Lance returning. About a week from now they would have to meet with the Galkin Clan, or postpone it to an unknown date, however, to even postpone it the team had to learn some Glakin.... but who would do that? Takashi had begun the healing process, taking with Keith and Hunk, telling them how he was feeling, about the nightmares that tormented his mind, about the 'what-if's' that trapped his mind, about the worry of apologizing to Ama and Ronney and trying to mend those relationships again.... but first and foremost Takashi was terrified of talking to Allura. 

Twelve days passed. Twelve and Ama realized her parents weren't there, that Keith was doing his best but he didn't have the same hug as her mother or her father, that Tsuyoshi was the best big brother and she didn't mind sleeping with him... but where were her parents? Where was her father that laughed? Her mother that giggled? These two she sees roaming the halls as soulless people aren't her parents, they look like them... but they aren't all there. They're broken.

 

_Ama had been up for hours sobbing, crying, and having a fit. She mumbled and tried putting words together that she didn't dare yet speak. She writhed in Keith's touch and Hunk's too that neither knew what to do for her anymore. Takashi had said he wasn't ready to see her, he wasn't ready to face either of his children... but they needed him. Now._

_"I know I miss him too," Keith sighed as he held onto her crying body, feeling her little hands clutch onto his shirt and try to push him away, "Hunk, we have to do something about this. She needs her Mother and Father."_

_"We all do."_

 

Thirteen Days flew by, no one could believe that Lance had been gone for almost two weeks where the damage that everyone had done felt so permanent. Lance would be so disappointed in all of them for falling apart so fast. None of them remembered falling apart when Takashi went missing, but that was because Lance was there. Lance did lock himself away for a while and everyone felt the tear in the team, but once Allura started to be there for him he perked up to his normal self and included the team in the search and they would do missions and they would be encouraged to smile and laugh, to have fun, not to lock themselves away, to joke and giggle. But Allura and Takashi relied on him as much as the rest of the team did. 

Fourteen Days and Takashi tried to talk to Hunk but realized that he was just as lonely as he was. Hunk told Takashi what happened two nights ago, how Ama had just lost it and wore herself out crying. Everyone's just as broken and searching for Lance as he is. Takashi saw just how much the entire team needed him and Allura at their best because Lance wasn't there and the two had locked away everything they were for so long that it felt like they were gone too. So Takashi faced Allura, but he brought something to help him, hopefully, calm her and 'win' the fight: his insane love for her.

 

* * *

 

Takashi knew she was avoiding him. The second he realized they needed to talk this out without yelling at each other, for them and their children, she was nowhere to be found. 

"Allura?" Takashi knocked on her room door. He knew she had to be here, in the shared room. She wasn't on the bridge, with the Blade, or in the computer room where Hunk was still (him and Katie comparing notes).

"Are you going to hit me?" Allura asked through the door

"What? I would never raise my hand to you, Allura," Takashi said calmly and felt his heart cripple that she'd think that

"Then say what you came to say," She didn't move the door as if she didn't want to see his face and separate herself from all of this. 

"When I came back from captivity," Takashi started "I was so afraid you had replaced me. I was terrified Lance was going to throw me away because he had you. He had a beautiful woman to call his wife. But you," Takashi laughed, "you welcomed me with open arms just like he did. You cried and screamed my name as Keith brought me back on the ship. You playfully scolded me and... I loved it. I loved every second of it. I loved when you came to me a year later and proposed. Do you remember my response, Allura?" Takashi asked, not expecting to get a reaction

" 'I didn't know we were dating'," Allura lightly chuckled behind the door

"Yeah..." Takashi took a slight intake and then calmed his heart as he said what needed to be said day one: "Allura, I'm so sorry. I'm so so sorry. I haven't been there for you like I should be, I'm not comforting you and I'm not treating our children like they deserve. I love you, and I want to try to be the husband I promised you I would be when we got married, again. Will you give me the chance to do that again? Give me the chance to change and become the man you once loved?" 

The door hissed open and Allura smiled with her arms open wide, "I've always loved you, Takashi," 

Takashi ran into her arms and collapsed onto the ground in her embrace. He let it all out as she ran her hands through his hair and let out her own light sobs. The door didn't close, them too close to the door for it to close automatically, so the sobs and comforting hushes bounced off every wall of the castle, bringing a small smile and sigh of relief to anyone who heard it. 

"I love you, Takashi. You're stubborn and Haji headed but I have no reason to complain when I am the same way." She hushed him as she held him close "We'll find him, Takashi. I know you love him--" 

"You--love-- ugh, my nose is running everywhere, I'm sorry--you love him too." 

"I know, but listen," Allura separated from Takashi and cupped his face between both her soft, caring, hands "We  _will_ find him. There is no question." 

"We will find him." Takashi repeated, "We _will_ find him." 

"One more time," Allura said bringing their foreheads together. "What are we going to do?"

"Find him," Takashi said laughing

"I'm sorry, I can't hear you." Allura played as she placed her lips over Takashi's eye lids, kissing his tired eyes

"We are going to find our husband, and bring him home." 

"Yes," Allura coaxed his face towards her, bringing their lips in for a slow and short kiss reassuring him that they were indeed going to find Lance. 

"Even if it takes years?" 

"Even if it takes years." they stayed like that, realizing that they both were just so tired and neither wanted to move, however they made it to the bed and slept embraced and entangled with each other. 

Takashi wished this is how he had started dealing with everything. He regretted the outbursts, the screaming, the tantrums as if he were 5 and not getting his way. He knew he was in the wrong but he wanted to be angry. He wanted to hate and nag and slander. He wanted to pull someone (or everyone) down with him and destroy their emotions too. He had felt the slightest empty and multiplied it by a million because he didn't want to face his wife who loved Lance too. He multiplied his hate and his sorrow. He was too happy in his depression that he didn't want to leave and then realized that he didn't want anyone in. Only then, when he reached rock bottom, did he realize that Lance would scold him. He'd gotten here before. He'd been to the bottom when he got home and was too afraid to show Lance his body, when he was worried what Lance would think of him after he learned about the arena, about what he had to do for the pleasure of the Galra, and he just dug himself so deep. Lance scolded him then and right now Lance's words rung in his mind again, soothing him to sleep in the embrace of their wife:

 

_"I know it's stressful, Takashi. I know that you feel alone and you're afraid of touch and showing me anything that they did. But listen to me when I say I need to know. I'm not pressuring you to tell me what they did, and I'm not even telling you to tell me or show me anything, but I do need to know **that** you are depressed. I need to know that you know that you need help. I want you to come to be and say 'I need help'. For you, for your health, for you to climb out of that deep self-loathing hole, I need you to admit that you are there. Only then can I help you, Takashi. I love you. I don't think you realize that, okay? Let me say it again: I LOVE YOU. Every single day I see you and I have to take a step back and realize that you--Takashi Shirogane-- are indeed **my**  husband, and Holy Crow am I the luckiest man or what? Because I have a strong, independent, and altogether amazing man to call my husband. So, don't do this to yourself. I've been where you are, I've been to the depths holding a knife and screaming that I wasn't happy, I've been thrown to the ground kicking and screaming, I've been there. You are feeling a normal thing. You are valid in wanting to escape and lock your emotions on auto pilot... but... come back? Please? _

_"I miss my husband. I miss how we talk, laugh, giggle, and just be complete children around each other. I know that with whatever happened with the Galra that we can never be the same, and I'm not expecting us to glaze over this and 'move on', that's not something I want. But I want us to become a unit again. A strong force that is to be reckoned with. I want whatever happened to mold us into a couple that makes every other couple in the universe curse us because we are just so damn perfect. Okay? But you want to know the best part about this arrangement? I'll love you even if it takes you 10,000 years to tell me. I'll love you until then, and even after then. Okay? I love you so much, and I'm beyond honored to be Lance Shirogane."_

 

Takashi really needed that Lance back. He realized with that reminder of Lance's words that stuck in his mind that Lance was needed. But more than anything, Takashi now knew they were going to get him back!


	5. E is for Endurance

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Universe 'A'
> 
>  
> 
> Italicized and '( )' words are any Alien dialect translated.
> 
> This chapter is almost, if not over 8,000 words.... holy Toledo good luck reading the roller coaster.

Takashi didn't want to move. Yesterday was the most stressful yet happiest day of his life. He had talked to Allura but knew he had to talk to her more because there were insecurities mulling in the back of his mind. He knew that he'd have to talk to the team and convey even more to them as time went on because he became the one thing he promised them, the first day they were an official team, that he'd never be: a tyrant. He pulled the body right beside him closer to him; his prosthetic aching because he forgot to take it off the night before, but damn it he was too tired! The small body held against his so perfectly stirred a little, the fluffy cloud-like hair tickling his nose and forcing him to sneeze. He finched and quickly moved away from her hair and sneezed into his chest as he sat up protecting her from his vicious, monstrous, loud sneeze.

"Eww, Allura.... your hair made me sneeze again..." Takashi complained, like a tired child, as he found his shirt he abandoned and wiped himself

"Not my fault your nose is sensitive, Takashi," She mumbled as she hid her face into the pillow she just wrapped in her arms. 

"I know. I'm going to go take a shower," He paused looking at her body. Her light blue tank top riding up on her stomach showing her thick hips and light toned stretch marks, her shorts dismissed and only her bright pink underwear addressing her bottom half, "C-C-Care," Takashi cleared his throat, "Care to join?" 

"Don't want to move," She commented, "It's too early, you always wake up too early." 

"Alright, go back to sleep, Allura. I'll be right back," 

"Mmmhm..." she sighed as he patted her hair and headed into the bathroom. He looked at himself and sighed, he began to unstrap his prosthetic and cursed himself with how sore the stump was because he was sleeping on his right side as of late anyway. He placed the prosthetic in its designated spot and began to soak a face cloth for his stump. 

 _Two weeks? Really?_  For Takashi it felt like two years and he wondered how he'd even survive without Allura. She was the only reason his emotions sobered up. Takashi couldn't stop his mind from wondering if he didn't have Allura, Ama, and Ronney if he'd even stop the tyranny. Takashi slowly got into the shower, his skin dancing when the water touched it. Staying in just enough for the fingers on his left hand to raisin just a little and get every aspect of him clean, sing a little song, and think about too much, only then did he elect to step out. He wrapped a towel around his midsection covering all the way from his belly button to mid thigh as he grabbed another towel and dried his hair. He walked out of the bathroom, slight steam following him and he let out a puff of air, the cool air hit his lungs like ice on a sweet summer day. Allura was still in bed, but rather sitting up and holding Ama who must have wondered in while he was in the shower.

"Ronney, don't break that," Allura chuckled as she called to the other side of the room to where Ronney was mid-climbing up the dresser

Guess Ronney snuck in too. 

"Mornin'," Takashi smiled as he quickly grabbed sweatpants, flew back into the bathroom, put them on, and popped out. He was kind of weary seeing Ronney, with his out burst and everything. Takashi didn't dare get too close, who know's what damage he had done to the boy.

"Mornin Daddy! Sorry to bother."  Ronney smiled, seemingly unaffected.

"Don't worry," Takashi was standing awkwardly

"Also... sorry I crossed _the_ line the other day."  

"No, Ronney, it is me who should be sorry." Takashi smiled at Ronney, who looked so downcast and sorry for thinking he crossed the line with his father, "A lot happened, and I let it all bottle up." Takashi walked over to Ronney and picked him up with his left arm holding him tight, "I yelled at you for no reason, and I'm really sorry, can you forgive me?"

"Yes!!" Ronney cheered, but then got really serious as Takashi and he fell onto the bed "Did you really mean that Daddy abandoned us?" 

"Oh, no. Your dad is--" Takashi looked to Allura for a second and she shrugged her shoulders, "On an adventure.... yeah, a really cool, super secret adventure. We don't know when he'll be back and I panicked because I'm so used to seeing your Dad all the time that I forgot he really needed to go on this mission, it feels like he disappeared on us." 

"Well, Ama and I wanted to make sure you and Mommy were ok. Uncle Matt and Granpa Slav said they heard you cryin' last night. So Ama said we should check on you because she was super worried." 

"Oh, really?" Takashi looked to his young girl, even though she's old enough she doesn't ever speak. She uses 'umph's' or 'ahh's' to explain she wants something, but a word has never truly left her lips, "Thank you, Ama, for worrying," Takashi sat up a little and kissed her little forehead, to which she let out a giggle.

"And Hunk let them in with an almost mute 'sorry'," Allura added

"I'll have to thank him later," Takashi smiled softly

The four sat in a peace that hadn't settled around them in a while. Takashi was basking in the glory of Ronney snuggling close to him and moving to lay directly on his chest as Allura was talking to Ama in Altean. Takashi knew Altean, the whole ship did. When Allura didn't like the idea of everyone being gone from her planet she forced Altean on everyone, the writing, the reading, and the speaking of it. It was tedious and hard to learn but everyone came to know it and find it very enduring to talk to each other with it because it was their language. No other planet would know that language. It was, almost, like they were Altea now.

"Guys," Hunk's voice called with a knock following at the door

"Come in," Takashi replied leaving his body vulnerable as he looked to the door, Ronney content and humming while snuggling to his father's chest

"Breakfast is ready," Hunk smiled fondly when his eyes adjusted to the scene, "Kolivan said he wanted to talk to us about the Glakin Clan, so be prepared." Hunk playfully shrugged and headed out 

"Time to eat," Takashi said getting up with Ronney still holding on and nestling in his chest. "You want to help me pick out what to wear today?" Takashi asked as he placed his son down

"Yeah!" Ronney cheered as he sprinted to the closet and began to look at the same shirt in different variations of grey and pants all the same. Takashi walked over to his prosthetic and began to put it on, his stump still sore but he'd just have to not wear it tonight and most of tomorrow, which really wasn't a problem. 

"Takashi," Allura's hand pressed against his back as she curled around his body and faced him, Ama curling on the familiar scented bed. She helped strap him in and winced as she connected the nerves getting a sharp hiss out of Takashi's lips

"Allura," Takashi brought her into a hug. He took a pause and realized that they'd get to talk to Kolivan about the Glakin's, "I really don't want to talk about the Glakin's, they've been trying to war with us for a while and this was our chance to settle everything. Without Lance, it could be dangerous and even start another war while we are still in this one." 

"I understand, but we still have to try to at least convey to them that our translator is gone and postpone the meeting altogether."

"I can't wait to hear just how we are going to do that..."

 

 

"Quickly brush up on a language that took Lance _several_ months, and six weeks on the home planet non-stop, in one day?" Takashi looked to Kolivan

"Good point, Takashi--"

"It is possible." Kolivan interrupted Hunk, "You need to communicate to the Glakin that you are, somewhat--uh--disabled right now,"

"We are not.... okay, maybe a little, but that still doesn't mean we can brush up on a language that none of us even know where to begin learning." Takashi sighed, "What do you three think we should do?" He looked to Katie who was playing with her food, Keith who seemed ready to take a nap, and Hunk who was just waiting to get a word in

"Why does their input matter, aren't you the leader?" 

"I may be the Black Paladin, but just like the lions, this team is not controlled with an iron fist. Everyone gets to give their input and say what they feel. If the team is unhappy we can not form Voltron. I stepped down as leader a long time ago but thought I could usurp my 'throne' back by force when Lance disappeared. These three are co-leading the team until I get my footing back, then we all will lead as a unit." 

"Humans are interesting," Kolivan thought as Hunk smiled to Takashi and began to voice his input

"I think that brushing up on the language all of a sudden is a little foolish, and Lance told us that even if we were to make a universal translator that the Language is sometimes backwards. I'm thinking if we just bring a peace offering, with one of the sentences from Lance's "Phrases of Languages I've Learned" book than we should be golden." 

"Since when did he have a book like that?" 

"Well, it's not so much a book but like a massive database of how Lance taught himself the languages so that in the case any of us wanted to learn any of them it was "dumbed" down." Hunk shrugged his shoulders.

"Anyway," Katie said leaning towards the middle of the table, "I think that's a good idea, why don't Matt and I look though--" 

"Matt needs to work on the cryopods," Allura interrupted

"Matt also needs a break, Allura," 

"I'll tag team out with Matt." Hunk smiled, "Okay? The three of us updated the cryopods anyway and he needs a break from Slav." 

"Agreed," Katie said then looking to Allura who just nodded and smiled "Then it's settled!" Katie cheered, "Look at us being the leaders of Team Voltron! We rock!" She high-fived Keith and then sprinted away to get Matt and decided to force feed him if she had to before they read over the database, which was only the digital copy of over 50 languages they'd have to comb through to find the Glakin tongue....oh, and just  _try_ and decipher Lance's handwriting in the first place.

 

 

"What are you thinking about?" Keith asked as he shoved Takashi to the ground with a loud thud again, shivering at the sound

"Nothing," 

"It can't be nothing when I'm sparring with you on 'easy mode' and still throwing you to your ass."

"Fine," Takashi let out a sigh as he got up and put his fists up "I did a lot of damage to this team, and I'm just--Watch the face, KEITH!--" Takashi dodged a fist aimed right to his nose, "a-afraid that if Lance comes back it won't be the team he left." 

"First of all, it's 'when' he comes back, not 'if', and second of all, we are all thinking that." 

"Really?" 

"Well, at least Hunk and I." Keith shrugged his shoulders as he avoided a kick that would've sent him flying, "We worried about that with you too. How long? Would everything be different when he get's back? What if we are making the wrong choice and we should be out there every night and every day looking for him like Lance wants to? But we knew that we had to live our lives too. Hunk's afraid for Lance because he's not as strong as the rest of us, that if he's in physical danger he's essentially screwed. He has a sword wound, for heaven's sake. Tsuyoshi had a panic attack over the thought the Galra kidnapped Lance, but Matt said that there were no Galra on the radars and there was no way for them to take him." Keith stopped and looked to Takashi, "We are all worried about him and I know for a fact that if he learned he was the reason this team fell apart this badly he'd kill us all for being so emotionally weak. We all would get a mouthful and lecture after lecture." Keith shrugged his shoulders, "We just have to keep living and keep looking. Lance will come back when the times right, and since he's not here, it's not the time in which he needs to come back. Everything happens for a reason." 

"Wow. Marrying Hunk was your best idea yet, Keith. You've become so--" 

"Don't you dare finish that sentence, Takashi." Keith scolded eliciting a loud laugh from Takashi, "Hunk didn't change me I changed me. I mainly changed for you--"

"Cute, could you not?" Katie walked in interrupting and joking at the last part which is all she heard, "I think that if you two marry we'll have too many problems on this ship--"

"WE ARE NOT--" Keith cleared his throat, "--getting married, Katie. Wh-Wh-Where would you even get that?" Keith stammered

"That was more than 'brotherly' affection dazzling in your eyes just then," Katie mocked. Keith bolted after her trying to catch her, she ran as fast as she could dodging his advances and laughing the whole way. 

"Keith and Takashi sitting in a tree," 

"KATIE, DON'T YOU DARE," Keith caught her by her stomach and, smiling like a total idiot and blushing like one too, threatened playfully as he tickled her

"F-u-c-k-i-n-g~" she laughed

"Who's doing what?" Hunk entered, everyone paused

"Keith and Takashi are getting married~" Katie joked getting out of Keith's grasp

"N-N-N-No we ar-rn't,  _Katie_ ," Keith mumbled as he ran to his husband and kissed Hunk's cheek

"You're not, booo! I wanted to plan the wedding," Hunk mocked after the kiss as he caged his husband in his grasp and playfully held his husband close as Keith tried to wiggle out

"NOOOOOO!! Takashi!" 

"Calling out for him are we?" Katie cooed, "Thought you weren't--" 

"They're losing their minds, Takashi," 

"Now, now," Takashi giggled and held his stomach, "Leave my betrothed alone," 

"Takashi!!" Keith whined

"Keith, we're just playing with you," Hunk laughed as he lightly kissed Keith's neck

"I know, but still! It would be hella weird to marry Takashi." 

" 'Hella'?" Katie mocked under her breath

"Oh I know, the devastation of sharing me, right?" 

"I already share you, but I mean the bed situation. It'd be too crowded with four people." Keith said simply

"Five, babe," Hunk said in a gasp, "unless you're leaving me in this scenario." 

"Thank you, darling, even less room." Keith said hugging onto Hunk, "Your bed is big, but not big enough for me, Hunk, Lance, Allura, and you and sometimes Ronney, Ama and Tsuyoshi. That bed would be hella cramped." 

"Fine. So we'll call off the engagement simply because we could never purchase a bigger bed and nothing else." Takashi smiled

"I'm so glad I missed this conversation," Matt commented as he entered into the room with Hunk holding Keith in a, somewhat, compromising position, Katie smiling like an evil genius and Takashi looking like more of the evil doer than the saint. 

"Hey, Matt," Takashi smiled

"I see you're better," Matt walked over and hugged Takashi

"Yeah... how are you doing?" 

"Well, Hunk relieved me for 0.5 seconds, Katie force fed me, and now I'm back dealing with Slav..." 

Takashi held Matt close and ran his hand through his hair, "Oh, do tell more," Takashi knew Matt had to vent a little... or a lot.

"It's insane!" Matt quickly started "Slav and I can't figure out what we did! We tried to take apart the cryopod but neither of us really knew how everything got as messed up as it is in the first place. When we put everything back to normal a small spark shot out and it started again but no Lance. We tried reading the information but it doesn't make sense because the data doesn't even say we put Lance into the cryopod even though we logged in his information and attached his DNA to the system." Matt sighed into Takashi's chest and let go as he looked up to Takashi, "Slav is going insane because he said that Lance is in the castle and in 85.2%--POINT TWO, TAKASHI--of realities Lance doesn't even survive a stab like this." Matt let out a loud sigh and dropped his shoulders hoping the tension and anxiety would fall with them. 

"Matt, take a breather," Hunk said, letting Keith go and patting Matt on the back, "How about I go back. I'm sorry Coran grabbed me and took me away when I tried to relieve you."

"It's not your fault the mice like you best and only answer to you when they're called, Secondly it wasn't your fault that one stole something of Coran's again," Matt mumbled

"Stay with Takashi, or chill with Keith and Katie in the bridge as they go learn a new, and highly complex, language. I'll go have the joy of being filled in by Slav." 

"Hunk, you're the best. The sunshine after a down pour." Matt exaggerated

"Oh, I know," Hunk laughed as he waved and slowly made his way to the cryopod room.

 

The day passed like no other. Slow, unsteady, and emotional. The Blade made the castle more claustrophobic as they got closer to the Glakin meet up. Hunk and Slav thought they had a small break through, but still no Lance. The DNA and data had returned, inspiring Matt to return and the three trapped themselves inside muttering talk to each other that even Katie found hard to follow in some instances. Katie and Keith had not quite mastered Glakin and were feeling really nervous with their words. Lance's notes were very thorough and they had every possible phrase laid out for them, but the stinging in the back of their heads with the small note of:

_In some cases, Friendship can mean war. Listen for context. If the 'Gwall' is emphasized it means friendship but if the 'gWAll' is emphasized war is about to occur._

 

"Oh... this is going to be a train wreck," Keith panicked

"Keith, you guys can do this," Hunk comforted touching the small of Keith's back stopping him from pacing.  

"Okay... Okay..." Keith grabbed the notes and Katie did as well, the castle landed on the station where they were meeting the Glakin clan. Everyone stood and walked out, in full Paladin armor and royal robes as they walked out of the castle and down to meet the leader who stood in front of a mob of Glakin

The Glakin clan is known for its ruthless nature. If their technology were more sophisticated, they would be a much bigger threat than the Glara and even the Cathedralites (which have battled with Voltron one too many times). A Glakin looks like no other species, round like a plumb and scaly like a crocodile. Thier elongated necks reached tall enough to have to slightly droop to look at the Paladins. Their faces held eyes on both sides, mocking a hammerhead shark, and simple jagged teeth lay in between, lips non-existent. Their hands retracted as they presented their hands in a form to attempt showing peace, the Paladins did the same as Lance had taught them. 

"  _'(Greetings, Paladins)'._ " The leader clicked and huffed his language, using his twenty finger hands for other words as well

"  _'(Your Majesty)'._ " Keith said as he stood straight up

"  _'(Where is the fluent one?)'._ " the leader asked, noticeably afraid that the Paladins were going to turn on them

"Katie-uhhh-" 

"  _'(Missing)'._ " Katie shortly said

"  _'(Missing? How does one go missing?)'._ " The leader turned his head to Katie, shifting his eyes down to her

"  _'(We are not sure? UHH--we are, alone (?) and need to find him.)'_ I really hope I said that right," She huffed and looked to the leader than Keith

" _'(We may wage a friendship if you deem necessary.)'_ "

" _'(War?!)'_. " Pidge gasped figuring they already messed this up

" _'(No young one. Friendship. The blue one has been too kind for us to wage war against you, in his absence and until he can convey his righteous words to us we will help you along.)'_." 

"We did it," Keith smiled as he looked over his notes and then to Katie

"What?!" 

"He said 'friendship'! Then 'the blue one'," Keith pointed to his notes and explained to her, "He said, 'wait for the blue one' and then something like 'in his absence, they will hold off on war' !" Keith cheered " _'(Thank you! If you--uh--need Voltron, ever, set up the beacon and we will be on our way)'_." Keith quoted the phrase Lance had written down and he recited a thousand times. The Glakin bowed showing their hands and turned to leave

"WE DID IT!!" Katie and Keith screamed as they ran to the group

"YEAH!" The whole team cheered, crying they were so happy. Katie and Keith had talked an alien language to a race that could crush them in seconds. Takashi wept as he held onto Katie, so proud of her and so happy that she and Keith did it!

"Lance would be so proud," Takashi said as they walked into the Castle holding Katie on his shoulders easily

"Hell yeah, he would! We have to write that down as something to tell him when he comes back!" 

 _If..._ Takashi thought

"Definitely," He said more mellowly. 

The group marched in, happy as can be, cheering and Hunk starting to make a meal to celebrate. Takashi found himself on the parallel wall to the whole party, looking at how excited the team was and hearing their sputtering of telling Lance this and that. That they could be the diplomats on occasion too! Everyone was just drunk with excitement. Takashi felt uncomfortable. He kind of wished they had failed, wanting a reason for the team to need Lance more. Wanting the team to know how much work Lance had put into learning all the languages and that it wasn't as easy as memorizing the next day and convincing a warring species to not kill them. 

Takashi felt a body lightly lean against the wall beside him, his wife leaned a little and pushed his body almost off balance. "Why are you not loudly celebrating with the rest of the team?" Allura didn't look to him, but rather watched the Galra and the team cheer and laugh as they foolishly played like drunkards they were all so happy. 

"I... I don't know." 

"Come on, yes you do. What's wrong?" Allura then looked to him, her body gracefully swiveling in front of him and stealing his eyes from the crowd to hone in on her. 

"I wish we weren't successful." he said in a low tone, hoping that no one else would hear him. 

"Why? Why would you--" 

"Because the team would see how much we really need Lance and not be glossing over it. They all think we're going to get him back, that he's going to be here in decent time. I took two years and you all knew I was kidnapped. Hell, Lance watched it with tears flooding out with screams of terror that had me almost deaf. But we don't know where he is.... we don't know if he's okay, and we don't know if he'll come back." 

Allura sighed as she brought Takashi off balance and down into a rough kiss, "Stop." she demanded after the kiss

"You know, you've kissed me more these past two weeks than you have the two years we've been married, right?" 

"That is not what is important, Takashi, listen to yourself. Are you wishing that our husband will not come home as much as you are wishing for this team to fail without him?" 

"I just--listen, Allura, I-- okay so, I don't want the team to fail, but the team winning without Lance is concerning. What if they learn to work without Lance?" 

"How can they do so when we still don't have a blue paladin?" She asked

"Oh... we can't--" 

"Voltron isn't possible without Lance. No one else is flying the Blue lion. The team knows this and we know it. The Voltron team will never be complete without Lance, but I'd rather this," She gestured to everyone cheering and partying, "Then everyone being depressed and us being in a war with the Glakin clan." 

"Yeah... I guess." 

"You guess?" Allura raised a brow, "Why must your brain run in circles? You were a leader once, did you never have a one track mind?" 

"I was never really my own leader. Back in the Garrison Lance was always there, I'd sneak into his room and ask advice, how and why the Garrison did things, how I should approach. He's always been my filter for my brain. Without him, I feel.... derailed? I guess. I'm unsure of things because I don't want to talk about a lot." 

"Takashi, we all know what happened in those two years, if you need time to figure this out as well that's understandable." 

"I had two weeks of sulking.... and no Lance. I can't really sort out my thoughts--" 

"I meant with me, idiot." Allura crossed her arms in an attempt to stop herself from slapping him

"What?" 

"We're married too. Let me help, please?" 

"HEY!" Katie and Matt called in unison

"Stop making out and come celebrate~" Matt cooed

"We're not--" Takashi sighed telling himself no not argue with the devilish twins, "Let's enjoy the party, okay?" 

"You are not running from this, Takashi," Allura smiled, "I know where you sleep at night," 

"Oh, no, whatever will I do?" Takashi laughed as he pulled Allura towards the party. They got wrapped up in the excitement that they forgot what was so wrong. Takashi forgot why he was so depressed. Takashi laughed so hard, realizing that everyone had a right to be happy, they avoided a war! Takashi laughed harder than he had any day after his wedding with Lance, which was one heck of a day to remember.

Soon the Galra got tired and retreated to "their side" of the castle and slept in a big heap of fur and appendages; Keith had to be carried by Hunk back to their room, his cheering and enthusiasm wore him out way too much; Katie and Matt were already asleep, clinging to each other, on the floor. Takashi decided to carry the two of them, with Allura's help, to their bedrooms. Takashi checked in on Slav, who actually snuck his way in with the Galra and was being cuddled by Antock and another, he seemed content in the pile so Takashi left them alone. Coran mulled to his bedroom, and the children were well asleep before the party even began so Allura and Takashi just made their way to their bedroom hand and hand not saying anything but just basking in the glory of holding one another after the hell they put themselves through the past two weeks. 

 

 

They had gotten into their pajamas, Takashi laying on the bed without his prosthetic and curling up to get ready to spoon Allura. 

"Alright, Takashi," Allura sat on the bed cross-legged as she looked to her husband, "Talk," 

"NoooooOOOooo," Takashi complained, "Allura, sleep first, talk later." Takashi reached for her but she smacked his hand down

"Nope," 

"Allura, it's been a long day--" 

"You promised," 

"I did so such thing!" Takashi shot up, "I said that I'd talk about life and stuff, but 'I promise' didn't leave my lips!" 

"Let's talk about it now," Allura said

"I... really don't feel like talking or crying right now." 

"Why do you think you're going to be crying?" Allura tilted her head a little

"I just... whenever it's personal I always--I don't know--I cry. Okay?" 

"I've seen you cry though, so I don't know the problem." 

Takashi looked at her, she was perplexed at why this was such a big deal, why he didn't want to cry. Why he didn't want to share what was weighing on his heart for ever. He didn't want to talk, he didn't want to do anything. 

"I remember when Lance and I," He started talking, swallowing his pride and looking to the covers instead of her, "first started dating. It was in secret, and the day I went to meet his family we some how convinced the Garrison to let me 'escort' him home and tell his family about his 'grades'. He was failing a class or two and I wanted to practice telling families that their child was failing, or that's what I told them. I walked Lance to my bike and then we rode to his house. He clung to my back and giggled the whole way. We felt like a couple on the run, wind in our hair, sun on our skin, basking in the glory of freedom of the Garrison. We made it to his town, not that far from the Garrison. Lance's mother, Sophie, was waiting outside with his father, Timothy. They were really confused why Lance was hugging a strange man in Garrison formals. Lance shot off the bike and told them who I was as I was taking off my helmet. Wow, were they over joyed. He had told me that they knew he liked me but never did they think we'd start dating. I had a serious talk with his father about boundaries and I told him that nothing was going to happen until we got married because my family is old-fashioned like that. They were the best. Like, no joke. The best. They sent letters and stuff to the dorms encouraging us to not give up on our relationship even if the Garrison didn't know, and they were really supportive." Takashi looked to Allura and then quickly looked back down, "My family... not so much. I hadn't even told my family I was dating anyone, let alone dating Lance, yet. I wanted to just rip off the band-aid, so to speak. But I ruined everything." 

"How so?" Allura asked, making sure Takashi knew she was listening. 

"Well, it was a family meeting, my mother, father and I were sitting at the table and they passed me three folders. They told me that suitors from different families with 'well trained' wives and pilots were in the mix. I didn't open any of the folders and when they asked why that's when I told them I was already dating someone. I told them that 'they', afraid to use 'him' because my father was very against men dating other men, were an amazing pilot and I just talked about Lance very passionately. They never asked about him again. They assumed that when I was ready I'd bring him over, but I didn't until our wedding. I handed them both a 'save the date' card and they kicked me out of the house. Horrified that this entire time I was dating a man and planning on marrying him while not producing offspring and grandchildren. I lived with Lance's family until the wedding and then Lance and I bought a small property that we'd been saving up for. The Garrison accepted us as a teaching team to help young cadets to fly, and or fight. Slowly we brought in Katie, Matt, Hunk, and Keith...." Takashi let out a sigh

"Why are you telling me this?" 

"Because I don't have that type of story for us." 

"What?" 

"I met you in distress. You sent a distress signal because you were being attacked. You bullied us to learn Altean and were 'ruler' of us all. That's how it was when I was kidnapped. It's how it had been for three or four years. I came back and you were totally different, you married my husband and even had a child by the time I returned. You became such a lovely woman who cared and preferred to be Allura rather than a princess. I didn't know how to act around you because I only knew your tyrannical side. Then you came up and asked me to marry you. I don't have a background with you Allura, and I don't feel like I can talk to you about everything I have bottled up until I feel like we have more of a bond than 'we're both married to Lance'." 

"So, our child means nothing?" 

"What?! Heavens no! Ama is the world to me." 

"Is she not the creation of a bond, or was that rather a duty to yourself to produce offspring?" 

"She--I--" Takashi felt so cornered, "There was---I'm not--uh--I love you, Allura," 

"You seem to try to be convincing yourself of that lately." 

"I'm... not trying to convince myself... I just," Takashi looked to her, and frowned, "I don't want you to think that we are together because of Lance..."

"Because you think so?" 

"No--well, yes and no..." Takashi said, "You helped him out of emotional hell, and you've been helping me, but my thoughts are: would you be here for me if Lance wasn't our husband? If he was just my husband and just a good friend to you..... would you be here for me? What if two years ago he got kidnapped, would you have helped me and married me? Would you do the same, or is it because of Lance that you felt obligated to marry me too?"

"Takashi," Allura scooted her body closer to his and pulled him towards her resting his head on her shoulder and she calmly said to him, as close to his ear as possible: "I love you." 

"I kno--" 

"Shhh, not right now. My turn to speak." She said grabbing onto him and holding him tightly with power and control that only a mother could know, "I love you. I chose to marry you because I love you. While you were gone Lance spoke so highly of you, he felt terrible for kissing me, he felt like he betrayed you when he married me, and he felt even worse when we found out that you were alive. Lance created a version of you that I loved. I love you because he loved you, that was true in the beginning. I wanted to love everything he did and I got caught up in the emotions. But when Keith brought you back onto the ship, when we ordered Lance to return because he was going to end up killing himself just to get you back, I saw how much he really loved you. It wasn't like the love I had. I had adoration, more so than love. Lance loves you from the bottom of his toes to the tips of his hair, his everything loves you and missed you while you were with the Galra. When you got back on the ship, the joy he had was unmeasurable. His cup ran over as did his eyes as he wept and sprinted to you and Keith. I wanted that love too. I felt some of it for Lance, learning that Lance's love was deeper than my own for even him, but then watching you closely I learned what love meant for Earthlings. I learned how to deeply love. I learned how to love Lance and our child, I learned how, in turn, to actually love you and not just adore you. I confronted Lance that I thought I wanted to marry you too." Allura laughed, "He cried then too," 

"Yeah, his bladder is behind his eyes," 

"What?" 

"Nothing, a figure of speech, continue," Takashi laughed

"Well, he cried." Allura shrugged off what Takashi said as she continued, "He was happy that I wanted to marry you too. He said he'd plan the wedding and everything and threatened that if he wasn't the best man then he'd call it off in an instant," Takashi laughed at that, remembering Lance's face when he asked Keith to be his best man. 

 

_"I clearly said I wanted to be the Best man!" Lance said angry, "Keith got to be your best man for our wedding!!"_

_"Well, I win, so suck it." Keith stuck his tongue out to Lance_

_"FINE" Lance dramatically said, "I'll be the Bride's Maiden then!" Lance yelled running to Allura "WHAT, KATIE?!"_

_"Yeah, I'm going to be the Bride's Maid,"_

_"You don't even like dresses though?!"_

_"And what were you planning to wear, idiot."_

_"Fine, you got me there... Allura," Lance whined, "I'm not the best man,"_

_"Hmm, maybe there is another role with importance which you could be?"_

_"Yeah, the flower girl~" Katie teased_

_"No way, that should be you!"_

_"Hush now," Allura smiled, "Why not officiate it?"_

 

"He was much happier being the one to marry us than being the best man." 

"Yes, he was. He cried then too. But listen Takashi, I chose to marry you because I learned to love you, I learned to want you and to want a relationship with you. Lance loved you and I didn't want you to feel like we had to share him as much as I felt we were forced to for a few months. That's why I asked you to marry me. We have a daughter who is half human and half Altean because we  _love_ each other, not for something political and certainly not because I felt Lance was pressuring me into it. I love you. I love you, Takashi Shirogane. There is no one I would rather love, or could love equally as much as I love you (other than Lance, of course)." 

"That's what he told me too.... when I really hated myself." 

"I know. He told me." Allura held him closer, feeling his chin rest on her shoulder as his left arm finally embraced her as well. Takashi took a deep breath and exhaled 

"You've been there for me through this whole thing and I've been pushing you away, haven't I?" 

"Naturally," Allura chuckled a little, "But I understand, you needed--" 

"No, I thought... I thought Lance had us married to make our relationship work again as if he couldn't be happy without you. Like a fixer, of sorts. But, now I see... He helped me, you, the team." Takashi huffed

"He fixed me, did he?" 

"With how you used to be... yes. You were rude and sharp with your words, you hated all of us because we were so close to Altean, but not there yet. But somehow, I came home and you were gentle, loving, and warm. When I called you Princess you frowned and asked to be called Allura. I met you for the first time then." 

"Well, Lance was very--what's the word?--Bold?" Allura asked to more herself than Takashi, "One day while you were gone Lance had come to the bridge to look up some stuff because Katie needed the computer room to track down the Blade for help. I ordered him to leave but he ignored me. Keith and Hunk advised him to leave and listen to me, I thought that would force him to leave but he didn't move. I was angry that he was refusing me orders so I demanded he leave because he was not welcome on the bridge for an outburst he had earlier with Coran." 

"He yelled at Coran?" 

"Very loudly, Coran was almost in tears. Lance knows a lot about each of us and knows how to break us down, apparently 'mad' is not an emotion to get him. However, he did apologize stating that his anger got a hold of him and, to my understanding, possessed his tongue." She shrugged, "Anyway, Lance refused to move so I threatened to move him..." 

"How'd that go?" 

"Not so well..."

"What did he do?"

"That's not important right now, but I want you to know that he cared about the team more than my want to be a princess. He cared and adored for me after, pampering and putting me first. After one year he had me join everyone on missions and I became more aware of the dynamic of the team. I appreciated what he had done for me." 

"Alright?" 

"Takashi, I appreciate you. I love you and adore you. I didn't marry you because I felt I had to."

"You already said that," 

"But do you believe me yet?" 

Takashi let out a sigh and a smile spread across his face, "I love you too," 

"Was that the only thing bothering you?" 

"It was the main thing, but every other little thing we've already addressed." 

"Like wishing for the team's failure?" 

"Yeah... that..." Takashi let out a sigh as he closed his eyes, "Allura, I'm so tired," 

"We can go to sleep--" Allura stopped when she felt Takashi's shoulder quake "Taka--" 

"I'm so tired! Tired of feeling alone! Of not seeing him, hell, we don't even have pictures of him!! I'm so tired of my heart telling me to be depressed and fall back into my hole but my mind telling me I need to be there for my team. I'm so tired hiding my tears from everyone," Takashi sniffled, his voice shaking as he continued, "I'm so tired of everyone's looks. I was such a tyrant to them, rude and what I said to Keith was so inexcusable, yet they all look at me like I'm the one who needs to be pitied! Why?! Why do they look at me like that after everything I did... after everything I said? I'm literally the worst and they all are just looking at me with joy, pity, and everything except for contempt and hatred. I deserve none of this, I deserve none of them... I don't deserve you and I sure as hell don't deserve Lance." Takashi let out a choked sob, his body convulsing, "I still feel like I'm caged in the Glara ship, Lance out of my grasp, my team ignoring my disappearance, and any chance of moving forward nonexistent.... Allura... I love you.... but I just... it's not your fault.... but I just feel so alone, and so trapped in my own mind that I don't want to feel anything because I have too much to feel. I 'm paralyzed in my emotions." Takashi sniffed, trying to avoid getting the snot dripping from his nose on Allura's pajamas, "UGH! I hate crying," He leaned back out of Allura's grasp and let out a sigh as he rubbed his eyes with his left hand and then covered his face. 

"Katie told me once," Allura said as she moved and cuddled close to Takashi, resting her head on his chest and curling to the shape of his body, "that crying is scientifically proven to help."

"Well, it did help last night too." Takashi let out a sigh, "She's too smart for her own good...."

"It is normal to feel what you are feeling, right?"

"Well, yeah. You're feeling it too right?" 

"Of course, it's crippling." Allura confessed, "Lance helped me, and now he's not here and I am not sure how to carry myself. I feel like I am doing the same, but also as if I am forcing myself."

"Yeah, it's going to feel like that for a while," 

"I do not like the feeling," 

"I don't think anyone does...." Takashi laughed through his nose at her words. He removed his hand from his face and looked to her. She was clinging to him as much as she could, and dared to. She wrapped her legs around his and mingled their feet together so much Takashi was having a hard time seeing where hers ended and his began. She looked up at him and smiled as she grabbed his hand and clutched onto it with her own, interlacing their fingers in an emotionally intimate dance. "I love you, Allura," Takashi said with the biggest smile he's had for a while

"I love you too, please don't scare me like this again. I care about you, so if you are worried I am here for you to talk to. I know it is not the same as with Lance, but I am here." 

"Yeah...." is the last thing Takashi said before he closed his eyes and welcomed sleep with puffy scratchy eyes. Embracing his wife again, a beautiful feeling which he was blessed and praising that he had such a passionate woman who loved him. 

However, there was this nagging feeling in the back of his mind where he feared that Lance's adventures are not as fun as his have been. That Lance was out there yelling and screaming and fighting for something. Takashi had to stuff the thought of his husband being kidnapped by the Galra to the back of his mind, and he had to stifle the thought that his husband was out there in so much pain fighting against someone, or even something more stubborn than the Galra. Takashi hoped that whoever Lance was with, that they were loving and protecting him as much as Lance needed. Hoping that his husband wasn't as alone as Takashi felt even though he had their wife right beside him. 

_Come home soon, Lance.... you're too valuable to this team--to Allura and me--for you to be gone much longer..... I'm not how much longer this team can function without you. Before long they will realize we need a blue paladin.... I do not want anyone else to become the right leg of Voltron. Please. Come home. Please?_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm going to try to do two chapters per universe or alternate between the universes. Also, I'm so glad that you guys like this book! Sorry about the updates, I've been trying to figure out where I wanted this chapter to go and I was actually teetering on the idea of Lance just coming back because all this angst is making me pissed at Takashi for going in circles.


	6. F is for Fighting

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Universe 'B'
> 
>  
> 
> Italicized and '( )' words are any Alien dialect translated.

_"You were going to put your hands on me, Princess, I was only defending myself. Which, unlike your paladins, I can actually do." Lance stood and let go of her before Shiro could reach him "I'm leaving. No more questions, I'm not welcome here and focusing all my energy on telling you about a universe that I may never return to is a complete waste of my time." Lance didn't smile as he waved behind him and left the common room._

_"Princess, are you alright?" Shiro asked as he helped her up. She looked defeated and also scared_

_"I am alright, thank you,"_

_"What is up with him?" Little Lance commented as he folded his arms_

_"Like I said," Shiro wrinkled his face, "We don't know this Lance. We can't trust him if he can have an outburst like that... I can only imagine what else he can do. We can't trust anything he says or does."_

 

Lance was such a drama queen. He didn't completely regret the fact that he had said that and put a rift between him and the team, he knew that it had to be said, but he still felt really terrible. But why did it have to he HIM to have to bring it up?? He already lectured his Allura after she punched him and scolded him for acting just as anyone would if their partner was kidnapped in front of them. Did it really have to be him though?

Whatever.

He needed to get home as soon as possible anyway so with everyone hating him he could stay in the confines of the cryo-room. It's not that he couldn't leave but rather he didn't like leaving the confines of the cryo-room. To him, only the teams' disgusting glares were waiting for him outside of that door. He occasionally found a plate of horribly textured and tasteless goop just inside the door or even right beside him if he had fallen asleep beside the cryopod again. He had gone out of the room on occasion, to return to the training room when no one was there, on a few instances he found Keith and his mini playing around inside, joking and not really trying as a level one bot was toyed with. It was uncomfortable seeing Keith and Lance together. They weren't together-together, but they were close to it. Lance seems rational and caring and it's weird to see himself in this light, this young... and with Keith in general.

 

Lance had free range of the castle, everyone just lived on as if he weren't even there, Hunk and Pidge obviously not liking the thought of him just floating around and living out of the cryopod room, occasionally checking in on him at random times of the day but followed by a scolding word from Shiro to leave and go do a duty that wasn't necessarily theirs to do. 

Lance wasn't really needed in this version of his team.... he felt as though the rest of the team knew this too.

 

Two days passed after his outburst, it was slow, but they passed. Everyone avoiding him, or that's how he felt, and his body trying to reject him because he wasn't getting a lick of decent sleep. Lance had woken up from a half-hour nap and felt the presence of someone behind him, watching by the door. He didn't want to think anything of it because it wasn't unheard of that the team didn't trust him, so he just let it go.... however he was becoming impatient. 

"Can I help you?" Lance asked after two hours of not being able to concentrate

"Shiro thinks you need to be watched all the time now," Pidge's voice called back, relaxing him slightly 

"Oh, he does now?" 

"Yeah, and I decided to help him and so did Hunk and Coran." She chuckled, "He couldn't say no to us," 

"I don't think anyone can," Lance mumbled to himself and lightly smiled

"Are you getting any further in figuring it out?" movement was heard and food steps were getting closer to him

"No," Lance sighed, "I'm just rearranging wires right now, I think I'm going to need to call in the cavalry." 

"Oh, and who's that?" 

"Slav." Pidge sighed at Lance's response, "Oh, is that a constant here too? He can be quite a pain back home," 

"I think he's a pain in all dimensions, he's crazy and rambles on and on about probabilities and such." Pidge somewhat vented

"Yeah, sound's about the same." 

"Wait, Lance, that wire doesn't go there," Pidge pointed to Lance's left hand

"What?" Lance looked to his hand, "Oh, I know. I'm just trying to put everything back to normal or.... I don't know." Lane shrugged his shoulders

"I can help, you know. You don't have to do this alone." 

"Don't worry. I got it working once and it was like a surge of energy. But as soon as I tried to get in, everything turned off. It was like something happened on the other end... but I'm not sure." 

"Well, what if you--"

"Pidge, don't entertain him." Shiro walked in, jumping the two

"Shiro, why are you here?"

"It's time to switch." he demanded.

"Changing of the guard," Pidge sighed and turned "Hollar if you need anything," She said then leaving the room and giving Shiro a look before the door closed

"Update," Shiro demanded

"You're still treating me like a--" 

"About the cryopod, Lance,"

"It's on." Lance let out a sigh, " Not like last time, it's just kind of on reserves right now. I almost had it working earlier but something happened and it stopped for some reason. I don't think it will send me back, I need to find Slav but right now he's MIA. I've sent out a distress signal to all realities so that one version of Slav will get it, which means that, in general, and theory, Slav from this dimension will eventually get it." Lance shrugged his shoulders. "The ball is in his court right now. I'm going to put it back in working order before I leave and try to find Slav."  

"And that means?"  

"I'm stuck here until he answers. I'm not an engineer, I did my best with the knowledge I have but I can't do everything. I need Slav here to either tell me I was totally wrong or on the right track and to show me where to go from here. Do you know where he is?" 

"After the teledov fiasco, he kind of disappeared. The Blade of Marmora might know where he is. Without Slav, is there really nothing else you can do?" Shiro seemed keen on keeping Slav as much out of this as possible. Lance let out a sigh as he placed every wire back to it's rightful place and turned the pods on again just in case the team needed them any time soon.

"Other than: find an actual bed, sleep, find some actual food, and then apologize to the whole team for my outburst, let my emotions fester, and miss my family... nope, I can do nothing else." Lance slowly stood, his legs slightly numb from sitting for too long. He went to walk by Shiro and move to ask Allura where he could find an empty bedroom, however, Shiro stood right in front of him like a boulder--that could be moved, but Lance rather not. "Shiro--" 

"I'm not letting you leave." 

"Oh, that's healthy for me! I haven't taken a shower or gotten a decent meal OR slept in a real bed since I got here. I'm gross, feel gross, look gross, am hungry, and hope I can sleep for a longer than two seconds without waking up from a nightmare that makes me scream! Please, just let me--"

"Why don't you just go back, sit and try to figure out how to send yourself like that message you sent to Slav?" 

"That's a great idea! Why didn't I think of that? It's almost like diving myself into multiple realities would kill me!" Lance mocked joy with every word.

"Just find a way back home." 

"I've been TRYING, damn it." 

"Try harder."

"I don't want to be here any more than you want me to be here, but I can't do anything without Slav. THEREFORE, move or be moved."

"But you are here and Slav isn't. You're going to have to deal with how my team deals with this. This isn't your universe, so go back to your little blanket and take a nap or do whatever you need to do in the confines of _this_ room."

"Gah!!" Lance punched himself in the face letting out a guttural growl. He paced and mumbled profanities in every dialect that came to him.

"L-L-Lance?!?!" 

"Fuck you!" Lance shouted, "This isn't my universe but I sure as hell am here. So, fucking move Takashi or I will break something and not feel one iota of sorrow for you. SO! Fucking move. NOW." 

Shiro slightly shivered, the anger mixed with his given name was not a combination he ever wanted to hear again,"You need to c-calm down--" 

"I AM CALM!" Lance let out a whimper and held his jaw, "you are so infuriating!" Lance then gripped his hair as he went back to pacing back and forth "I can't do what I want because you aren't mine and I can't fucking talk to you like you know what I've been through because you don't know. If you  were Takashi I would've thrown you out of my way, or I don't know, you would listen to me!" "

"Just go back to working, Lance," Shiro said sternly trying to not show that he was starting to feel bad for Lance

"I'm not going to just sit here and become insane. I feel like I'm kidnapped, and let me tell you that was not fun...." Lance mumbled the last bit and looked up to Shiro

"Like you know real pain," Shiro spat out, not meaning it to me as authoritative and "condescending-uncle-like" as it came out. Shiro was more aiming at questioning. 

"Excuse you!" Lance gasped, "I was stabbed for you! When you were kidnapped my heart and joy was kidnapped with you, I searched and searched and FUCKING SEARCHED for you to the point where I was put in cryopods because I didn't want to take care of myself. Koli was there trying to get me to eat because he cared, then Allura took over--after I ripped her heart out and told her and Coran off. When I didn't want to face the team I placed myself in Galra hands just to find you, I was put into the arena and had to kill an innocent child because I thought that I might be able to find you! I know pain, _Shiro_." Lance did all he could to not punch Shiro but he let out a sigh, "Fuck this. It's not worth it," Lance turned around and sat back down by the cryopods, a 'thump' noise sounding when his butt hit the floor

"Lance?" 

"Don't treat me like a child."

"You're the one acting like one," Shiro lightly laughed through his nose

"Yeah... I know, but I just feel so cornered and bottled up, I've been able to roam around lately and all of a sudden you don't let me leave and put constant supervision on me? I need a decent shower (or one in general), some food, and a bed to sleep on... you act like my father, but I already have one. I don't need you to be mine (especially when I'm older). Plus, in this stage of hurting you're doing more harm than good." 

"What are you talking about?" 

"You act like a parent rather than a friend, Shiro." Lance explained with his back turned, "It goes for the team too. You are about the same age, right? Like a 5-8 year difference. Unless you were a 5-year-old stud, I highly doubt you could parent any of them." Lance looked back to Shiro and frowned, "You're trying to lead the team while you yourself are hurting. Not letting anyone in is worse than letting one person in to see that you are hurting. You channel all your anger towards them so that when they do something wrong you can blow up at them or subtly tear them down with 'leadership' and 'fatherly' words. You put up this facade simply because you don't want to let them in. You're afraid and you feel trapped in your own body because you don't want them to see you as a weak leader but you don't know that they'll respect you more for knowing what you've been through!"

"HOW WOULD YOU KNOW?" Shiro broke, his voice loud and demanding forcing Lance to shake. "How would you fucking know how they'd react to what I've been through?!"

"For one, I know from personal experience what if feels like to be alone and for everyone around you to feel like an alien even though you have known them for ump-teen years. I know how it feels to be a literal captive and a captive of my own mind. I can guess what you're going through and how they'd react," Lance scooted and slowly stood back up, "Also, because you told all of us, back in my universe."

"What?"

"I'm going to tell you this not because I want to but because you need to hear it, okay?" Lance paused for a millisecond to let Shiro get prepared as he walked back towards him, the distance killing Lance, "Once we rescued you from the Gala after two years of torture and unimaginable malice that they put you through.... you shut down. But after we had a heart to heart about what we'd both been through you were back to being happy. Back to being you. Yes, there were tough days and yes there nights you woke up from a night terror that had it's grip so tightly on you I had to remind you that you were safe. That you were home. After a while you confronted the team, deciding that it would be better for your health to tell the team, so if you needed a mental health day than you could literally tell the team that and they'd all understand. You understood that you were a human, that you had feelings and didn't have to pretend to be something that you weren't. That's why you asked Katie and me to help you lead the team because one person shouldn't bear all the worry of holding a team up on their shoulders. No matter how much more mature you may seem than them."

"I don't believe you," Shiro ground his teeth and hissed back, "I'm not that....that..."

"Weak?" Lance questioned walking up to Shiro and grabbing him harshly pulling him into a hug. Shiro struggled a little in the hug not wanting it but when Lance refused to let him go he just relished in the fact that someone wanted to hold him and was willing to do so. "I know I might be crossing some boundaries with you, but just... hear me out... I know you're not my husband, okay? You're still broken, refusing to have any help of repairing the cuts in your soul, thinking that you can do it by yourself. Takashi was not happy to share his experiences, he sobbed through the whole thing as he clung to me and hid his face away. He was beaten, bruised, and had terrible things done to him. The arena was the worst for him." Lance reluctantly ran his hand through Shiro's hair, "He didn't want to tell me, nor the team..." Lance let out a light laugh, "But he knew they had to know. I bet he'd hold you just like this, pat your back as he stroked your hair and say, something like: 'You're strong. You've been through so much in your few years that many don't go through in their lifetime. You fell to hell and had to claw your way out, but guess what? You're still here. You're alive. You're a defender of the universe!'." Lance chuckled "Takashi always tells me: 'a regular man falls down eight times, but--"

"A wise man get's up nine..." Shiro finished.

"Guess that's a dimensional constant?" Lance let go of Shiro, bracing both hands on Shiro's shoulders, "don't carry the weight of your world on these shoulders, Shiro. They carry enough. I'm not telling you to tell your whole team, but you should tell someone you trust, and confide in someone. It helps a lot. I would know, my husband has always been there for me and I tell him everything."

"Who are you confiding to now??" Shiro asked innocently, changing the topic to Lance now as if he were avoiding the thought of him confiding in someone else.

"Mostly.... my logs. I've thought about talking to Allura once or twice, but she's so young in this universe I feel like I'm overstepping boundaries because she's not my wife. I'm too comfortable with her and you from my universe that I feel like I subconsciously get too close to you two." Lance instinctively let go of Shiro's shoulders and crossed his arms in front of him unsire what to do with them, "I've thought about talking to the me from this universe, but he's too.... I don't know... he just doesn't seem to want to talk to me... Hunk was a close fourth, but... he doesn't know me like my Hunk. Keith is totally shutting me out even though I'd go to him next, Katie--sorry, Pidge-- is _way too young f_ or me to feel comfortable even talking to her sometimes. Also, it's weird not having--" Lance stopped himself."

"Having who?"

"It's not important," Lance said shaking his head "I just have a really good cuddling buddy back home..." Lance thought of Ronney and the hell he'd be putting Allura and Takashi through. Lance and he would get usual cuddles in the mornings when Lance went in to wake the two up, or when Lance was upset Ronney would be right there to hold his hand or pull at Lance's pant leg and 'drag' him to the floor for a floor cuddle session, which had lasted hours on occasion. It was lonely without that small body between his arms, or even Ama's giggles. It was just lonely in general....

"We could talk to each other...." Shiro said shrugging his shoulders. 

This conversation took a turn Lance was NOT expecting. Yelling and screaming to lecturing to confiding in each other.

"N-No, I appreciate it, but no."

"Why not?"

"Because... you're not my husband and when I get sad or emotional I get grabby." Lance motioned to the fact that he just pulled Shiro in for a hug, "Plus, I want you to be comfortable with someone from here. I'd suggest Keith or Hunk."

"Keith?" Shiro raised a brow

"He may be awkward, but he know's what it means to be alone. He waited three years in the desert for you before you called him back to the Garrison to join our team--at least back in my universe that's what happened." Lance saw that Shiro seemed lost, "Well, Keith got kicked out for beating up some of the undergraduates because they were making fun of me and spreading rumors that Takashi and I were... more than friends. Even though it was true Keith didn't know that, and he didn't like your name being tainted. So the Garrison kicked him out, he landed home to find his father missing and his mother still not home. When you called him to join us he was ecstatic, I mean, he got to spar with you again and he got to see Hunk, those two..." Lance chuckled

"I miss hearing about your universe. You never talk about it anymore."

"First of all, it's been two days, and secondly do you blame me?"

"Don't you want to talk about it?" Shiro asked hesitantly

"Nah, I'll bottle it up and let it fester and boil until I explode." Lance chuckled

"That's not healthy--"

"Take your own advice, Shiro." Lance poked Shiro's chest. "I've talked to my friends and family about life, I've had my fair share of vents and I can tell you right now that you haven't had any vent time. But I don't want you to just tell them to tell them. Tell, whoever you choose, because you  _want_ to get it off your chest. You want to let the burden go, you want someone to know and someone to be able to go to when you need a shoulder to cry on or someone to meet in the training deck and beat up."

"Speaking of the training deck, can you show me that move you used on me a few days ago?"

"Never, it will be my one move that can amaze you," Lance winked at Shiro as he then began to leave the room (Shiro's guard down and his body slightly out of the way of the door), he turned to look at Shiro, "But seriously Shiro, I know I'm not you're Lance and my Takashi has been through different stuff than you have, but talking to someone.... it helps a lot. Just make sure it's someone that you can drop your boundaries with, someone you feel comfortable crying in front of where you don't feel obligated to say 'sorry' if you break out crying." Lance paused and laughed "I literally just said I didn't want to tell you and here I am confiding in you. Guess I just feel safe with you, no matter what reality."

"Lance," Shiro called

"Yes?"

"Thank you."

 

* * *

 

That conversation was stuck in Lances head as he walked down the corridor looking for Allura. 

How had a screaming match about Lance being in this universe turn into Lance lecturing Shiro about confiding in someone? How could Lance even do that? AGAIN, even!! He doubted this version of his husband would confide in anyone, though, simply because that's how he was and is. Lance shook his head and ran his hand through his hair... his greasy, matted, hair. 

_Gross._

"Lance?" Hunk's voice called after him

Lance turned and found miniature Hunk walking up behind him, "Hunk, hey, question,"

"Answer," Hunk smiled 

"Do you know where your version of me is? Oh, and Allura. I need to talk to them both, about separate topics." 

"Those are both a bad idea." Hunk put up his hands as a warning, "I mean, go for it with Allura. She'll keep her distance, but Lance thinks you're trying to replace him. He's been really clingy to Keith and just protective of his stuff since you got on board."

"Interesting. I'll investigate my Mini after I talk with Allura, mind joining me? I need a witness in case anything goes down, on both." 

"There are cameras--"

"Which can be hacked, Hunk." Lance tisked at Hunk's innocence

"Right," Hunk thought for a second, "Fine, but you owe me." 

"Whats the price?" 

"Showing me how to use that move you used on Shiro and the one you used on Allura." 

"Touché, Hunk, touché. If all goes well I can show you a move or two." Lance laughed

"Allura's in the bridge, uh, follow me," Hunk smiled as he walked beside Lance. 

There was a short silence, "Hunk," 

"Y-yeah?" Hunk jumped at Lance's voice

"Sorry." 

"For what?" 

"For... I don't know, for hurting Allura like that and breaking your guys' trust." 

"Lance, you reacted like anyone would've. Pidge and I agreed on that when we talked about it the other morning. If we were in your situation, and had your strength, we would've done the same thing. Don't worry about it," Hunk lightly punched Lance's shoulder

"Wow. You act just like my Hunk...." Lance smiled fondly, "Why don't you tell me about this version of you? Like, your parents and such," 

"Alright, you have to do the same for the me in your dimension." Hunk said back pointing at Lance and ready to keep him accountable from his head nodding in confirmation, "Well, I'm actually adopted into the Garret family. I was born in Samoa but my parents didn't really like me living there with the threat of another Civil War breaking out. So, they sent me to an American Orphanage. I was adopted by my two mothers, Hannah and Jullie Garret." Hunk shrugged "I lived about a town and a half from Lance but met him when he ran away from home one day. We chilled and vented to each other and then just talked over letters. We both got accepted into the Garrison and that's pretty much what happened. Oh also," Hunk looked around and stopped Lance for a second to whisper into his ear, "I have a crush. Now, what about me from your dimension?!" Hunk asked excitedly jumping over what he just whispered

"Woah! A crush!" Lance put up his hands, "You can't just jump over that, Hunk. Who's caught your eye?" 

"I... well... he..."

"He? Hmm, well since the other two guys on the ship are dating each other it can't be Shiro... can it?" Lance teased

"Don't say it too loud!!" 

"Wow, I wasn't expecting this," Lance smiled fondly, "What's your favorite thing about him? His totally readable his face, or his adorable innocence?"

"I... uh... well... he... actually confess--ed..." 

"I'm sorry, can you repeat that?" 

"You heard me!" Hunk nudged Lance, "It was WAY back in the Garrison before he went on the Kerberos mission."

"A mission to the Moon of Pluto?" 

"Yeah, that's where our Shiro got kidnapped, along with Pidge's father and Matt." 

"That explains a lot, anyway, continue," 

"Keith, Lance and I went to see him off before he got in the shuttle. Lance and Keith were bickering in the back and Shiro came up to me and hugged me. It was cool to have a superior hug you, but he was also a really good friend through Keith. He whispered that I was his favorite and when he returned he'd take me on a date." Hunk let out a sigh, "but either he doesn't remember it or doesn't want to because he hasn't mentioned it since we found him." 

"Maybe he thinks your answer is no." Lance said, "He might also think that you're underage and doesn't want to break Earth laws." 

"I'm 19. My birthday was recently, so I'm 'legal' now anyway... but we'll have to talk about that." Hunk thought as he touched his lip with a curled index finger.

"Good luck talking to him, it's like trying to break open an unopenable safe." Lance chuckled

"Alright, Mr. Avoiding-topics, tell me about your version of me!" 

Lance laughed, "Well, in my dimension, you are an exchange student from Samoa. You left home at 10-years-old and joined the Garrison at 16, with the rest of us (at least Keith, Katie and I). You lived right next door with the family taking care of you, the Apples. Your last name  _was Gotoloaiaoolelagi_  but no one could pronounce that so we "Americanized" it to Garret. The family you were with had six young girls about half your age, and one boy twice your age. You were shy and kind of closed minded until we became friends. We bothered every neighbor on our block, and then some, in an attempt to learn about anything. One day we went too far north of our little place and we ended up in this sketchy-ass house in the middle of the sand-dunes. That's when we met Keith. You were in love the second your little 14-year-old self saw him. Met him two years later at the Garrison and, dude, you were really deeply in love but kept it to yourself so well. Katie and Matt had you figured out quickly but only because they hacked into your search history and found "how to confess to someone you like", "can someone become really attractive overnight?", "why can't I tell the guy I like that I like him?", and "Is it normal for two guys to like each other?" stuff like that, it was quite cute actually." Lance smiled as he looked over to Hunk, "You graduated fourth in our class, that's pretty much your story."

"FOURTH, I'VE BEEN ROBBED?! Who got the other three places?" 

"Why is there so much noise this early in the movement?" Allura asked as the door to the bridge opened. Lance realized that they had talked the whole way to the bridge. 

"Hi.... Princess...." Lance awkwardly said

"Unless you are here to overthrow me, get out." 

"Well--" Lance wheezed for a second as Hunks elbowed him in the stomach stopping him from saying what he was going to say, "I--umm--came to apologize and ask if there were any bedrooms I could steal while I was here." 

"Normally one does not ask to steal, let alone steal a bedroom." Allura turned to him

"It's a figure of speech," Lance shrugged his shoulders, "Do you have any that I can use?" 

"There are three: one in between Shiro and Pidge, one secluded (however it's two doors down from the training deck), and one beside our Lance. I do not see why you need a room, though." 

"I'll take the second one, I don't mind being by the training deck." Lance smiled "I need one because I don't know how long I am going to be here. I need to be prepared for it to be a little bit longer than I had hoped. The cryo-room is getting claustrophobic and my back is killing me."

"I'll need your DNA print to be able to allow you into the room," Allura was talking very monotonous, a chilling feeling as she was rejecting talking to him with any emotion she had.

"That's no problem," Lance put up his hand as if he'd done it a thousand times before, in which he had. He placed it over the pad Allura had almost thrown to him and then he lightly tossed it back like a frisbee. "Well, now comes the painful part." Lance sighed as he looked to Hunk

"There is no pain in getting your room assigned--unless there is a different way to do it back in your dimension?" Allura quirked an eye brow towards Lance

"Not what I meant." Lance then fell to his knees and bowed once, then looking up to her placing his hands on his thighs as his Allura had shown the team in how to apologize in Altean, staying on his knees. "Luk tambien, Ållura* _('I'm really sorry, Allura)'_." Lance looked at her with sorrow filled eyes. 

Allura walked right in front of him and fell to her knees as well, her tears alarming and making Lance panic. "Say... Say it again?" 

"You want me to speak Altean?" Lance asked confused, "You taught it to all of us..." Lance giggled a little as he looked to Hunk

"Why is where you are from, so much better?" She asked as she leaned into him, her forehead touching the crook between his shoulder and his neck

"Uhhh..... it's not?" Lance patted her back reluctantly and looked to Hunk to make sure that he wasn't crossing any lines

"But you want to return so bad--" 

"It's my home, All--Princess. You already have your own version of me, so I can't really stay. I know he's not my age and hasn't gone through what I've gone through but he's still quite an amazing guy. The team you have on this castle is really strong, I mean if you guys had Matt and or Slav I'm pretty sure you guys would damn my team." 

"Now you're just saying that," Hunk commented what Allura was thinking

"No, I'm serious. Here, I'll put it this way. I've been in space for, like, six years (almost). I was married to Takashi for four years before I went to space. We flew to get Allura when we were 22. You all are younger than we were when we came to space. You guys have been through more than we've been through at your young ages. If you have this much experience at this age, can you imagine how powerful, how well-rounded, how utterly amazing you will be ten years down the road?" Lance smiled as he looked to Allura who separated from him to listen to his words, "You are all so young, you have more life to live and more experience to learn. I can't top that. I know skills and I know how to do some things you guys don't but that doesn't mean that you won't learn."

"Wow, dude, that's deep," Hunk said

"It's true," Lance looked to Allura's puffy eyes, "My reality or universe or whatever, isn't any better or worse than yours. They both have their ups and downs and no matter how much prettier the Juniper berries look on the other side of the Fonner fence doesn't mean you jump over it and go take them. You're strong here, you're assertive here, you're just amazing. I'd love you to meet my wife, you'd get along just fine with her, it's almost like you are her!" Lance laughed as he stood and brought her with him, "Thank you for the room Allura, I'm going to go use the shower joined to it and take a really long nap."

"Lance?" Allura asked wanting to reach out to him but she retracted and held her arms to her side

"If you need anything Allura, I'm here. I told Shiro earlier, but, I hesitate with you two the most. I know what your boundaries are back home. Here you guys are ten-ish years younger and I don't know you. For all I know apologizing like that could've been a total insult to you here, but I took a chance because I want you to know that I care. I'm slowly learning where I can go and how far I can go, but I'm going to need time... time that I don't want to need because I want to get home to my family."

"I understand," Allura smiled, "Have a good rest, Lance," 

"Princess," Lance smiled and slightly bowed as him and Hunk left. 

"Now to my Lance?" Hunk asked in a slight daze

"I feel like I'm going to need a full day's rest to deal with myself," Lance mocked lightly

"Oh, trust me, you will," Hunk agreed. 

"I'll just head to bed if you guys need anything knock okay?" 

"Alright, see you around!" 

 

Lance found his way to the bedroom, right across the way and even hidden if he wasn't looking for it. He opened the door with ease and walked in. The room was tinted a white hue closest to his room back home, the room was not spacious by any means but man did it look comfy. Lance walked in and heard the door shut behind him startling him a little. The silence was unnerving and as he got closer to the bed he realized that he'd be sleeping in a comfy bed without Takashi or Allura. He thought for one second to ask someone to sleep with him, but that could be taken REALLY wrong, and he's also not comfortable with not-his-Takashi. Lance opened the closet, empty and awaiting a dressing prompt, he missed the old system before Matt and Katie blew the circuit that made their clothes for them. They were damned to buy clothes from the space malls after that but seeing this made Lance happy as can be. He outstretched his arms and smiled as he punched in 'scan' having the castle measure him and create pajamas for him to wear. Basically sweatpants. Lance got out of his nasty clothes and took the sweats to the shower as he threw his current clothes down the shoot which mimicked his back home. He jumped into the shower and sighed with great relief as he basked in the glory of the hot water. He saw Altean soap on the edge of the shower and smelled before he used it. Slightly smelling like Takashi and Allura's smell combined he got out of the shower and put on the sweat pants. Then punching into the computer his clothes that he just threw down the shoot to be made so he could get dressed in a timely fashion if needed.

Lance stopped by the full body mirror and looked at the scars and bruises that were healing or just disappearing. The huge scar on his chest would get a good scolding from Takashi and a gasp or two from Keith but he couldn't wait to be home. He fell into the bed, letting out a sigh of final relief and looking up to the ceiling.

"Stars, please..." He requested. The room became pitch black slowly, small lights flickering as the ceiling became a slow dance of stars giving him a performance in the sky. Lance smiled, "Piano, Mozart from Earth, Please." Nothing happened and Lance looked to the computer showing a '0' on the screen, "Happlaa from Grongiinte?" He asked then quiet Alien mock swing music engulfed his ears. "I think.... I can sleep.... with this," Lance said closing his eyes, his fear of sleeping alone subsided.  

 

* * *

 

"Lance!" Shiro's voice screamed as he burst right through the door. Lance shot up, worried about Takashi. Lance fell to the ground in tangles in the bed and looked to... not Takashi. Shiro's face appeared in disarray and his body had seen better days. Lance had to stifle his concern, his want to run up and touch Shiro all over making sure that he was indeed alright.... but Shiro still wasn't Takashi... 

"Of course," He decided to sass from the ground, not moving, "The second I decide to sleep you bother me," He laughed as he tried to untangle his feet slowly

"Lance, we need you," Keith said behind Shiro

"Yeah, like right now," Little Lance chimed in as well

"I'm not part of this team, though... how could _I_ be needed?" 

"Our language translators aren't translating correctly, or something. These Aliens are getting really pissed at us...." Little Lance rambled as he avoided looking to Lance's bare and horribly scarred chest which was not covered.

"We need," Shiro sighed, "your expertise." 

"What's the race?" Lance asked freeing his feet and sitting up on the floor hoping that it was going to be a simple race and Lance could just tell them what to say and not leave.

"What was their name?" Little Lance asked as he looked to Keith "The Glakin?" 

Lance outburst in laughter, letting his body fall to his back as he laughed to the ceiling of his bunk, "You're joking right?" He closed his eyes

"...no?" Keith questioned

"Oh, my heart. I can't!" Lance got up slowly, "No machine can translate the Glakin tongue, it has too many variations and one thing can mean another in their tongue. That's similar to a lot of races. Like 'Friendship' could mean 'War', in some cases." Lance smiled wide, "Also, in my dimension, at this time too, my team should be meeting with the Glakin!" Lance stood in front of the closet and quickly got dressed, almost a blink and a half before he then passed the confused three. Lance walked down the hall of the castle, getting ready to introduce himself but was really torn on what to say. He wasn't the blue Paladin and he wasn't their translator.... more like a stowaway. 

"Wait, What about a space suit?"

"We're on the home planet, right?" Lance asked 

"Well, yeah," 

"It's safe for Humans, not rain or their version of snow, but other than that it's fine for Humans." 

"How do you know?" Keith asked

"I lived on their home planet for a while." 

Lance began to walk down the ramp and looked to the Glakin, their appearance about as pleasant as their smell and hospitality. 

" _'(Went to grab the older brother I see)'._ "

"How dare--" 

"Princess, don't reciprocate. What you are hearing isn't what he's saying." Lance said

"Oh, Lance. They went to grab you?" Allura smiled sightly

"Yeah, I've got this.  _'(Excuse the Paladins, they have primitive technology that assumes it can translate your tongue, they know not that your tongue is too sophisticated)'._ " Lance spoke fluently, no translator in sight, the team looked at him their mouths agape.

"  _'(Paladins? The woman said they were traitors to their kind)'._ "

"  _'(Apologies)'._ " Lance lightly bowed, holding out his hands to show he was not holding any weapon, " _'(These are the Paladin's of Voltron, I am a stowaway, of sorts, on their ship. They knew they had my tongue but they rather rely on technology these days)'_." Lance looked to Allura, "What are you trying to tell him?" He switched with slight difficulty as he thought every word out but sounded more impatient or like he was talking to a child

"We found a distress beacon and came to help." 

"The Glakin never need help..." Lance raised a brow and turned back to the Glakin in question, "  _'(Did you send out a distress call?)'_ " The Glakin mumbled about themselves, confused as to how Lance came to this conclusion

"  _'(We did, but only as a test. We did not mean to alarm you. We are happy it works,)'_ " The Glakin chuckled, sounding like two boulders being smashed together. " _'(Thank you for worrying, but you are not needed. You are very fluent in our tongue, did you by chance live on our planet a long time ago?)'._ "

"  _'(Oh, I taught myself. My team, who I am trying to get back to, needs someone who knows Languages that can not be translated. I did live on the planet for a small time span. If we are not needed we will get on our way, but if you ever change your mind, open up the beacon again.)'_ " The Glakin leader wiggled his head in understanding and then turned as he and his heard headed out. 

"What?" the team asked in unison

"They were testing their distress signal," Lance turned around and headed back into the castle, "We aren't needed, let's get off this war-ridden planet before they decided to kill one or all of you." 

The five Paladins and Allura sprinted inside in silence, worried about what just traversed with the Glakin. It took Allura, for what felt like, several varga's (hour's) to get to the leader and talk to him, almost making him angry enough to kill her but it took Lance all but 5 minutes to calm him down, find out that there was no distress, and leave. 

 

"Maybe we need him more than we thought..." Little Lance said

"No, we don't need another Lance, we've already got you," Keith commented placing his hand on Lance's shoulder

"What if we've been talking to other species wrong?" Pidge commented as she took her helmet off, "I mean, our translators were picking up everything backwards from what he was saying and what the Glakin was saying too..." 

"Even if it is true, it is not necessary to bring him into the fray," Allura said, walking past the team, "He does not seem to want to be part of our team,"

"I might agree with you, Princess," Shiro stopped her from her angry stomping, "But, he did stop us from getting into an unnecessary fight with the Glakin--" 

"You guys don't have to fight about it," Lance commented ahead of the team, "Oh, was I not supposed to hear the not-so-subtle conversation about me 10 feet in front of you? I appreciate you guys are thinking about having me on the team, really, but first things first I need sleep, then I'm going to try to get back to my team--" 

"Please," Pidge walked up to him

"No, don't...I can't say no to you" He whispered to himself

"What you just did, was amazing! None of us know any foreign languages, well.... I know how to read some Altean and our Lance knows Spanish, Keith knows a little bit of Spanish and 'Texan'--"

"Pidge, Texan isn't a language!" Keith somewhat sounded offended

"and Shiro knows Japanese." Pidge continued ignoring Keith, "But we don't know any alien dialects. Please..."

"..." Lance looked to her. Her hair longer than in his dimension, and he fell. He fell so hard because if this were Katie he'd have to say yes. He's the big brother that she and Matt need. Lance let out a sigh as he rubbed the back of his neck and looked up to the team and then back to her, "Only for you Pidge-podge," 

"YEAH!" 

"But," He said, "Sleep, then we'll talk about this whole 'joining an inter-dimensional team' thing, okay? Lance and the duo of angst kind of interrupted me from my beauty sleep" 

"Okay!" Pidge smiled widely

 

Was Lance really telling this team that he'd join them?? If his mini already thought he was taking over how does he feel now? Lance couldn't impose on the dynamic, plus what would he even do!? Sit with the cryopods until they needed his Alien knowledge? What place was there for him on this team? There wasn't anything left for him, they already had the full team...so what would he even be to them?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *=The Phonetic of Altean. I wish there were keys on my keyboard for Altean. Also, I don't really know it (I wish I did), as I don't know any Alien languages that I've put in here (other than Spanish but that's not Alien...) or that I'm going to put in here. I'm pretty much banging keys and making up the languages as I go ¯\\_(ツ)_/¯.
> 
> Also, get ready for some Shance angst in the next one! Holy Toledo that snuck up on me!!


	7. G is for Grace

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Universe 'B'

Lance just sat on the floor of the bridge. He looked up to the screen as Allura seemed like she was waiting for a call from someone important.

If you asked Lance, he had the best sleep last night, like, ever. He was lonely without his husband and wife but hogging the bed without a sigh from Takashi or a _‘Lance, did you just hit me?!’_ from Allura was relaxing. He came from a big family, but being the youngest he hardly ever shared a bed with anyone and when he babysat his nephews they wore him out before he could cuddle and read a story to them. So the first time he really shared a bed was with Takashi. He’s gotten better, but man, spread eagle and resting like a limp noodle, there’s nothing that beats it.

“How’d you sleep?” Shiro asked as he passed Lance and sat in his seat in the front of the bridge, turning his head a little to look at Lance

“Like a Prince,” Lance said so happy, and still a little out of it, having woken up not that long ago.

“Well, that’s good to hear,” Pidge joined in walking past them, Hunk followed her close. Eventually, Keith and Little Lance showed up, looking slightly disheveled as if they were in the middle of _something_ and realized how late it was.

“Forget that there was a meeting?” Lance asked

“Who asked you, L.S?!” Little Lance blushed massively as he scolded Lance, calling him a nickname that he obviously came up with on the spot.

“Oh, nicknames?” Lance raised a brow, “I didn’t know there were grounds for that,”

“There isn’t for interdimensional travelers!”

_Mature…._

“Alright, Lance, go sit in your seat,” Keith lightly pushed Little Lance forward as he passed him and sat in his own seat.

“We getting ready for battle?” Lance asked moving himself a little to a more alert sitting position

“Nope, just about to do a little bit of training.” Allura commented, “Coran, do you have everything ready?”

“Just a tick and it should be done. The five can get into their Lions,”

“So, I get to see you guys in action?” Lance smiled, “Like actual action? Can I be the villain? OOOOOOoooo can I fight Voltron in a pod by myself?”

“You’re getting too excited about being a villain.” Hunk said with a sigh

“It’s always been my dream to be a villain, Hunk!” Lance gasped in a mocking tone, “If I don’t get to, at least, fight Voltron then what’s the point?”

“This is to find your position on the team, not threaten us.” Shiro commented as he stood and looked to Lance, who found himself very comfortable and sitting on the ground leaning up against Allura’s elevated ‘stage’.

“My place on this team is nonexistent.”

“But yesterday you said--” Pidge tried to defend

“Pidge-Podge, I know what I said. But we don’t know how long I’m going to be here. What if you five get used to relying on me? Like, I don’t know... I'm afraid when I leave you’ll be a shell of your current team. I don’t mind sitting on the sidelines and verbally helping now and again (like a distant Uncle coming to a soccer game) but I will not go on a mission with the five of you.”

“What about getting Slav?” Keith asked with a brow raised

“I’m doing that on my own. When I get in contact with Slav I’m going by myself.”

“Lance…”

“That’s not up for discussion. I’ll be out of your hair and you guys won’t be relying on me. This isn’t my universe, remember? I can’t be fighting alongside you guys, changing the dynamic. It's not my place." 

Keith looked to Little Lance and whispered, “Older you actually makes sense.”

“Anyway, Coran said to get to your lions. I wouldn’t want you guys to see him angry.”

“Coran? Angry?”

“Shoo!” Lance motioned to all of them.

The five went down to the Lions leaving Lance and Allura to themselves. Lance just curled as he watched each lion shoot out from the ship, it was almost like an out of body experience especially watching Blue fly around without him.

“I know that was a hard decision for you.” Allura finally commented

“The only way I’m useful to my team is with Blue…. And you already have a ‘me’ flying her. So… I’m of no use to this team. It doesn’t matter if I want to be part of this team, it doesn’t matter if I want to feel like I belong because I don’t. This isn’t my team, this isn’t my place to claim something that’s not mine and it’s not my turn to step on toes. I’d rather be on the sidelines giving advice now and again that would be obvious to an onlooker, rather than someone in the moment than overstepping.” Lance let out a sigh as he gripped his hands and curled into himself. “Why is this so hard?”

“Because you’re letting it get to you,” Keith’s voice rang through the castle, “Idiot”

“Excuse you.”

“Well,” Pidge’s voice joined, “At least we know that Lance’s pessimism is interdimensional.”

“I am not pessimistic!” Little Lance responded

“Okay, enough,” Shiro’s voice called out, “Princess, we’ll keep the coms on and connected but we are going to do some maneuvering around the asteroids.” Shiro began to explain what the team was doing, but Lance just zoned him out.

This universe isn’t fun. Takashi would’ve joined in. Takashi would’ve played a little into it, laughing and joining in on teasing Lance only to kiss and hug him when they all landed. His Takashi….

“Lance?” Allura asked as she tapped his shoulder, “What’s wrong?”

Lance looked up to her and hiccupped a little, realizing that he was crying. Tears slowly rolling down his face.

“Uh,” Lance said in a scratchy voice, alerting the team to his tears, “I’m fine… just... it’s nothing. I’m going to go to the training deck for a bit. Connect the coms if you need anything.” Lance shot up and walked to the training deck.

“Allura, was he crying?” Hunk asked

“He’s bottling up a lot,” Shiro said in a calm tone

“Sounds familiar, right guys?” Pidge giggled

“Hey!” the four guys all called in unison

 

 

 

Lance landed a punch square in the bot's chest, sending it flying across the room with a clang of the metal to the ground resounding and reverberating off all the walls. He let out a huff and a whimper as he shook off his hand and looked to the ceiling.

“Again!” His voice slightly cracked as he called out.

 

_Takashi. How’s life? I hope Ronney and Ama aren't being too much of a pain. I wonder when I'll get back home if I've missed too much of their lives to even consider me their father anymore. I’m probably never coming home. It feels like I’m stuck in this world and there is nothing I can do. I’m trying to find Slav but that seems unlikely in this universe. I can find him so easily back home, but when I’m home…. I’m not going to want to find him. I’m not going to want him to send me anywhere because I’ll be with you._

_Takashi, I miss you and Allura, Ronney and Ama…. I miss everyone. I miss everything. I’m alone and it’s the weirdest feeling. It’s almost like when we were in the Garrison and I couldn’t do anything with you. Or on the occasion, you had to treat me like a stranger and pretend you didn’t know my entire story because the Garrison would have both our heads. It’s like that. The you here…. He’s broken and struggling to find who he is, he’s confused and leading a team with the mindset that he’s going to help himself by ordering them around. I still love you, and in turn, it makes things really hard to not love him and do my damndest to protect him and coddle him. I feel like he needs you and not me... he just needs someone to listen to him... It's hard to say but the you here is a lot like me._

_Why am I so alone when I know I have people to love me? Why would I rather hit something repeatedly than talk this out?_

 

“Lance?”

Lance jumped out of his skin as he swiveled behind and almost went to punch, “uhh…. Princess? Why are you here?” Lance wiped the bead of sweat that trickled down his face as he straightened his posture and took a breath

“I could sense that your mind is fogged, earlier. And I wanted to check up on you.”

“I’m fine, you should be watching the team.”

“Which you should be part of.”

“Princess, I can’t….”

“Lance, you are strong--”

“I’m going to stop you there,” Lance put up his hand, “I already said that I’m not from this universe. I don’t mind giving advice, that’s what elders do, but I am not getting involved." 

"It will be alright if we get attached, it's happened before where we do and then we lose them. I think it would be pleasant for the team if you stayed and connected--" 

"It's not okay for me." Lance let out a breath as he had finally caught his own, "Alright, that's what you came here for right? I'm not okay with it."

"What do you mean?" Allura asked as she turned on her communicator behind her back. "Why aren't you okay with being part of this team?"

"You all are so young, you're strong and so individualistic. I see myself and my team in all of you. You guys are teens, for heaven's sake, and you act like fully fledged adults... or maybe it's that we all still act like teens. I already love all of you but I'm in love with my version of you and not the you that's in front of me right now. Here, in this world, Keith is strong, stubborn, and hot-headed; Lance is meek, kind, and full-hearted, putting everything he has into others rather than himself; Hunk is a powerhouse and full of love and life; Pidge is their own person, they are strong, kind, and just amazing; Shiro is stubborn and strong-willed, holding every worry in his system and refusing to let it out as long as it doesn't kill the team; you, Allura, are powerful and gentle, kind and resourceful; and Coran is so much more like the weird Uncle here and I hardly see him that it makes me sometimes think he's not even here...." Lance ran a hand through his hair, "I don't want to get attached to you all and lose you, I almost lost Takashi and now I've lost everyone when--when..." Lance felt a tear leave, "When I was damned here. I've lost my wife, my husband, and my two children coming here.... I can't lose the seven of you when I return. So please, don't let me get attached. I can't lose you all. I can't.... I can't lose anyone else, ever again."

The door behind Allura opened aggressively, Hunk and Pidge bursting through the door and wrapping Lance in a hug. Lance just shook in their grasp. 

"Lance, I-" 

"Damn it, Allura...." Lance sniffled as the others walked in, "I didn't want to"

"It's okay to cry," Keith slowly said as he placed a hand on Lance's shoulder.

"Say's the guy who hates crying," Little Lance mumbled

"Alright, off, I just said I didn't want to get attached."

"We all are already attached to you," Shiro said standing beside Allura. It looked so natural and so right. 

"What?" 

"Lance, the moment you walked into the common room, half a month ago, you changed our lives. You walked into our hearts and we all have been changed." Hunk sobbed

"I call Bull shit," Lance said finally getting out of Hunk's grasp and Pidge's thin, but strong, arms. "You already have a 'me'," Lance gestured to Little Lance, "Hell, he's even better than I am. I'm not part of this team--and HOW DID YOU ALL GET HERE SO FAST?!" 

"Well..." Allura shower her communicator

"...of course..." Lance rubbed his eyes "well... I'm going to go tinker in my room, while you guys go back to training." 

"Lance we should talk this out--" 

"Oh, have you talked about your emotional problems yet Mr. Personal-Bubble?" Lance smiled a playful smiled and looked Shiro up and down as if to size him up or flirt with him. 

" _Lance_..."

"What are you going to tinker?" Pidge asked in a meek voice

"I'm going to see if I can't find Slav." Lance smiled glad that she took the conversation away from young Shiro lecturing him, "I'm going to go watch over some video feeds again and see if I can't gather something from them." Lance walked through the doors and headed down to his room. 

 

 

 

Was it stealing? Probably. Did he just lie to young teens? Most likely. Was this going to kill him and send out the location of Voltron to anyone with half a brain? Maybe. But Lance needed to speak to someone that could get him home as soon as possible. He couldn't get attached and if that means bypassing and hacking his way into Blade headquarters in order to talk to Kolivan, then by the power of his stubbornness he was going to do it.

Lance frigged with the watch for way too long for comfort until a flash of light and a bright picture showed up with an angry sounding Galra. 

"Who is this?! How did you get this line?" a muffled voice came up and then a picture of a more rugged version of Kolivan appeared on the screen

"Koli, it's a long story," Lance's voice called over the video quietly, deciding to talk English just in case this Kolivan preferred it. 

"Do not call me so familiarly, young one. You do not belong on this frequency--" 

"I know what you are going to say. But I need to talk to Antock. I need to know where Slav is." 

"I am not giving you any information on--" 

"I am Lance Shirogane, Paladin of the Blue Lion and husband to Allura Shirogane and Takashi Shirogane. I somehow showed up in this reality where everything is very different from my own. Slav is my last resort, and the only one to believe me, Please Koli?" 

"You speak too familiarly with me...." 

"Well, back home it was almost--" Lance caught himself, "Nevermind. But do you know where Antock is?" 

"He is on a mission in the Dubai system." Kolivan surprisingly said, "He will not return for several movements." 

"Do you have anyone else that would know? Juliar, Kev, Henshaw? I just need to know where Slav is, you don't need to contact him I already have, but I don't know where he would be." 

"I will ask around. Can I contact you back with this code? 07693D4...a _General's_ code?" 

"Naturally, and I got the code in my universe, without it I couldn't get into the system. I'll keep the communications up and running. Wake me up if you have to. I do not care, I would just like to get home." 

"Understood, Otherworlder. We will get you home safely." Kolivan said as he hung up. Lance smiled as he went to place the communicator down, like, holy Toledo it worked! He was just off the wall that he actually got to see a familiar face that stopped their hostility once he explained everything. Which is how Slav will be but he wasn't looking forward to how happy Slav will be when he realizes that he was right about realities.

"You what?" Lance jumped at a voice appearing behind him

"WOAH?!" Lance turned around "THIS IS MY ROOM--" He cleared his throat once he realized who was at the door and simply looked to the broad-shouldered man, "Don't you knock, Shiro?" Lance relaxed and leaned up against his bed

"I know how-- I-I mean... sorry....." 

"How much of that did you hear?" Lance asked as he placed the make-shift communicator he made right beside his bed

"What did you mean but 'it was almost'?" 

"Ah, so all of what I didn't want you to hear...." Lance shook his head, "I was lonely okay? After Takashi disappeared everyone was there for me... and Koli--sorry Kolivan--was one of them. He was really protective, almost like he was the 'alpha' of our pack, so to speak. He made sure I was well cared for and such. We even almost kissed... Then there was a month-long streak of him gone. He didn't message me, call, or show up. I thought I angered him in some way, I bottled everything and ended up yelling at Coran for something. Then a little bit later I yelled at Allura for acting like a tyrant." Lance shrugged his shoulders, "If Koli and I stayed in touch... things might be different. Why am I explaining this to you? And why are you here, Shiro?" 

"Was it really that lonely?" Shiro asked, avoiding Lance's question, as he walked into the room and sat on the edge of Lance's bed

"Of course," Lance inched away, "I lost my husband. I watched Sendak--a man we all trusted and thought was with the Blade but was really a double agent--beat him into submission, heard his pained cries and watched him be kidnapped.... It was and is very lonely..." 

"Well," Shiro shuffled closer and placed his hand over Lance's "You don't have to be alone." 

"WOAH WOAH WOAH! Hold the phone!" Lance flailed to the wall as fast as he could, "No!" He pointed to Shiro and scolded him like a dog, "No."

"I saw how you looked at me earlier in the training deck--" 

"BECAUSE I'M MARRIED TO ANOTHER VERSION OF YOU, SHIRO! You looked so natural and ethereal, okay? I wanted to kind of size you up so I smirked and do what I do at home, it was a reflex for you treating me like a child!"

" _Lance_ \--" Shiro, somehow (because every god hated Lance right now), sounded just like his husband for a split second when he called for Lance's attention

"NOPE!! No no no N-n-n-n-no!!" Lance was panicking. He's going to get himself out of this or die trying

"But--" Shiro looked downcast

"Shiro, I know--I know that--ugh..." Lance felt his heart pound and his mind screaming at him as he slowly returned to the bed and kneeled in front of Shiro, "Tell me what you feel, I don't want to say something that you are not thinking and then make you overthink." 

"Lance..." Shiro let out a sigh and a slight smile. He moved his organic hand to cup Lance's face which, for some reason, Lance allowed to stay there, "I think I love you." 

"What? Shiro, that's dangerous." 

"I know, but... you're the only one I feel safe with..." 

"Safe like actual safe, or safe in the sense that I'm the only one other than you, Hunk, and Keith on this ship that are of Earth's legal standards, and isn't the me here like a year away too?" Shiro just looked away from Lance. "Shiro, I'm sorry that I've made you feel like this. Unrequited love sucks so bad. I have a husband and wife back home who are waiting for me." 

"But it's me... so it's not cheating, right?" 

"Wouldn't you count it as cheating? If your husband or wife came home from an interdimensional 'business trip' and told you that they slept with an alternate version of you, wouldn't you freak?" 

"Well, yeah." 

"Then it's cheating!" Lance said simply with a small laugh, "I already felt 10,000 times worse when I thought Takashi was dead and I married Allura. I know you are the same, but listen... you're also not the same." 

"But... there isn't anyone here for me..." Shiro said, "You already love me... so why can't--why don't you stay here so I can have someone to love?" 

"..." Lance was speechless. He thought for one second before he pulled Shiro in for a hug, pulling his whole body off the bed. Lance just hugged around his neck as Shiro held his whole body as well,

"I just... what if the one who I'm supposed to be with is back on earth?" Shiro started to melt and weep. This seemed really out of character for this Shiro to let himself go this much, but it was obviously needed as he buried his head in Lance's chest and continued. " What if I'm up here away from them and they are suffering and I can't do a darn thing about it. What if I'm just...I don't know. I just want to love and be loved and you're half that equation... what if sending you here was on purpose and you're supposed to stay with me? I wouldn't mind! You're smart, so so so smart; strong too, you literally floored me; you are apparently a great chef, according to Hunk; and you talk to everyone so easily even though this isn't your team or your universe.... so... why not stay? I've opened up to you more today and yesterday than I have to anyone as long as we've been out here. Lance, I feel so safe with you and I just... I don't want you to go back... why do you want to leave?? Aren't we... isn't this team just fine?" Shiro was outright sobbing at this point.

"I'm going to go get Hunk, okay?" 

"Noooo, I want to stay here!" Shiro grabbed onto Lance tighter

"I can still stand, I mean you're not that strong here," Lance laughed as he stood, Shiro still clinging to him. "But.." Lance stopped, "If you really don't want me to get him I won't..."

"I just want to stay with you..." Shiro said as he stood and separated from Lance, "I sound like a child," 

"First you call me out for acting like one and then you become one, I think I see a theme happening here," Lance teased as he lightly punched Shiro's chest. "Why did you come to me, Shiro? Like, why really? I don't really believe the whole 'Love' thing." Lance realized with a twitch from Shiro that he hit the nail right on the head, "I thought I told you to vent to someone who isn't me." he turned to scolding

"I... I tried talking to Keith, but he seemed lost for words when I sat down and told him I wanted to talk about my capture." 

"And Hunk?" 

"I... I'm... I don't want him to hate me. I think he already does." 

"First of all, this is Hunk we are talking about. I think the only thing he hates is sentient food, and secondly, are you talking about the Pluto Moon mission thing?"

"How do you know about that?" Shiro looked to Lance

"I have my sources, but why don't I get your perspective on it too?" 

"Well..." Shiro said looking down, his hands melding together and twirling in a forced dance as if to make Shiro think of something more than contact.

"First off, I'm going to stop you there and tell you that you are really awkward. Like... wow. Takashi wasn't as bad as this when cornered. You're borderline a fawn in front of headlights." Lance scoffed as he motioned to the edge of his bed, "Sit." 

"Uhh... thanks?" 

"Not a compliment, but you're welcome." Lance smiled, "Continue. You were going to Kerberos?" 

"Y-Yeah. It was wrong and weird... I was 23 at the time and he was 17? I think." 

"Sounds about right," 

"Well, Hunk, Lance, and Keith came to send me off, and for a little bit Hunk and I would joke about us being a couple and that the whole school would be shocked because the best pilot and the best engineer together? That would be crazy! I saw him occasionally but as much as I saw him I felt blessed. And I confessed to him when I left for Kerberos... I told him I'd take him on a proper date when we returned.... but... I got captured on the moon. When I got back Hunk acted as if he didn't know me and ignored anything I said only treating me like a leader instead of a past Love interest." 

"Ugh, you both are idiots," Lance said hitting his head with his hand,

"Pardon?" 

"He probably doesn't think you remember since you were traumatized he wouldn't push anything and wait for you to make a move but you are afraid to make a move because he's giving you space but it looks like he's avoiding you!" Lance said in one breath. "You two are worse than how my Keith and Hunk were.... they played hooky forever!"

"So, what should I do?" 

"Nope. No romance advice from me, this is your own hole." 

"Please?" 

"UUUUUGGGHHHHH" Lance faked a long aggravated sigh "Fine," He winked, "I love how you came in here to, supposedly, confess to me and we're ending it with me kicking you out to go talk to a crush that you're avoiding."

"Well--" 

"Nope, this is me (Lance) kicking you (Shiro) out. Talk to him. Hug him. Do something other than come to me and bitch." Lance waved his hands shooing Shiro out

"Thank you, Lance," 

"For? Kicking you out? You're Welcome!" 

"No,  _Lance_ , for letting me talk to you"

"You're younger than me here, it's my duty. If Takashi heard that I was a total ass to all of you while I was here my reputation would be ruined!" Lance said in a laughing tone

Shiro smiled and then left the room. Leaving Lance to himself.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wow. This is going through a rollercoaster of emotions. Guys, sorry. I'm trying to even everything out and getting everyone on a normal thinking plane. However, get ready for even more angst! I've been planning out the next few chapters (like all the way to 'M') and I hate myself....... WOOT!
> 
> Thanks so much for reading, I hope you guys like it so far; I think with how this is going I'm going to make some of the chapters shorter so I can make it through the Alphabet without dragging it on too much. Leave a comment if you want something to happen or if you wished something else had happened, man, I can empathize with you there! Thanks again!


	8. H is for Hope

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Universe 'A'

Takashi stood staring at the cryopod, his hands shaking so much he had to press them against his chest and take a deep breath to calm himself down. He couldn't sleep with his mind running places. He wanted to know where Lance was, why he left, and how he could get him back. Matt, Slav, and Hunk were all in bed and the Cryopod just a shell of what it was supposed to be. Hunk had told them last night that they should take it apart and then put it back together, maybe then Lance would return... but Takashi can't help but think that they are damning Lance.

"Where are you?" Takashi whispered to himself. 

In the background, Takashi heard the 'swoosh' of the Cryo-room door and let a breath out thinking that it would be Allura to pull him back into bed even though she should be asleep right now.

"Oh, you're up too?" Takashi turned around, surprised at hearing a man's voice rather than his wife's, and saw Keith in boxers and one of Hunk's oversized night time shirts, "Hey," Keith slightly waved with the shirt sleeves bunched in his hands

"H-Hi..." Takashi smiled a little but turned his head back to the cryopod

"What has you up? You should be getting as much sleep as you can with what's been going on. If you stay up all the time when Lance come's you'll be asleep and miss out." Keith winced when those words rolled off his tongue "Takashi, I didn't--" 

"It's fine Keith, I know where you're coming from." 

"You didn't answer me, Takashi." Keith sighed "Why are you just staring at the pods?"

"Lance."

"Well, yeah," Keith said in an obvious tone, "But what about him?"

"What if... What if taking the pod apart makes it so that he can never come back?"

"Takashi...." Keith sighed

"Also, isn't it really dangerous to have all the pods down?" 

"Takashi--" Keith tired to intervene but Takashi continued talking

"I'm serious! I love him with all of my heart and I am terrified that he is never going to come back from wherever he disappeared to and what if one of us gets hurt?!" Takashi shuddered as he rambled and sighed

"Takashi, take a breath for a second." Keith mimicked breathing in and out

"Where did he even go....?"

Keith closed his eyes and lressed his pointer finger and his thumb together as he tried to calm down and not punch Takashi. Figuring that Takashi wasn't going to follow what he wanted him to do he just picked up the conversation, "None of us can figure that out, Matt had said that he got the DNA code figured out some time ago, but... that just seemed like it was too forced." 

"Keith," Takashi let his shoulders drop and pouted

"You want me to grab Hunk? He give's the best ones." 

"I want one from you..." 

"Heh, okay big guy, come here," Keith outstretched his arms and brought Takashi into a hug. A hug that grounded them both. "We are going to--" 

"What should I do?" Takashi questioned muffled, "What did he do? I tried to get it out of Allura earlier but she said that it wasn't important..." 

"What he did in isn't the best idea, just like how you originally reacted wasn't the best way to react."

"What are you talking about?"

"What he did was dedicate his entire time trying to find you. It was... well, intense. He kept up who he was for a good while. I think it was half a year in and he snapped, we all found out that every night he had taken one of the pods and searched for you and that he was trying to hack Zarkon's Main fleet's system so that he could find you. He was a mess and fought with Allura and Coran for a while, butting heats whenever he saw them and them lecturing him. Then..." Keith sighed as he separated a little so he could look at Takashi, "Then he really ripped into Coran, screaming and shooting him down. Slandering Coran to tears and he sprinted out of the room." 

"I think I remember Allura mentioning that.." Takashi asked

"Yeah," Keith confirmed, "Then the next day came and Lance tried to use the computer on the bridge and Allura told him to leave because he didn't belong on the bridge...."

 

 

_"Lance, you must escort yourself out before I do."  Lance walked past Allura and sat in the Blue Paladin seat as he logged into the system and continued his electronic search, he tried to ignore her but she continued in her speech in order to remove him one way or another. "I will remove you from this place, you do not belong here!"_

_"Oh?" Lance didn't look away from the screen, "I thought we were supposed to see this as our home, Princess? Or are we not welcome anymore because my Husband isn't here."_

_"I said no such thing! However. your presence is making Coran unsettled--"_

_"Then why doesn't he 'remove himself'. It's as much his home as it is ours."_

_"I am the Princess of this Castle, you will do as I say!"_

_"Oh?!" Lance yelled, even flinching himself as he stood and forced the holo-screen gone as he looked to Allura, "I'm sorry "Princess" but you aren't anything of the sorts!"_

_"What?! HOW DARE YOU--!"_

_"News flash," Lance motioned around himself, "Your people are dead. Your planet is dead. And you're acting over an old order of that planet with no more government, no more stability, and no more ruler BECAUSE IT'S DEAD!"_

_"Lance, back off!" Hunk called from the other side of the room, him trying to figure out a good course to take for the current mission and Keith standing right beside him restrained by Hunk hoping Lance would come to his senses with who he was talking to_

_"No, Hunk! Listen, she thinks she's all high and mighty because her DEAD father gave her a position in this universe. Her entire society is dead! Me back off?! TELL MRS HIGH AND MIGHTY TO FUCKING BACK OFF!"_

_"Lance--" Allura tried to intervene_

_"Shut it! '(You are no more important than your planet. Dead and nonexistent. To me and this universe, so stop acting like you own us, you sophisticated asshole.)'." Lance spoke harshly in her tongue, a language she had already stuffed down their throats_

_"LANCE!!" Hunk scolded_

_"Who fucking cares?! I'm going to go punch some bots..."_

 

"And he stormed out..." 

"..."

"I know, we were all speechless too..."

"And you all freaked when I reacted?" 

"Well, you were a little more extreme, he didn't attack all of us, he only attacked Allura and Coran." 

"Hey, Dad, you in here?" Tsuyoshi's voice echoed through the cryo-room interrupting the serious conversation. Keith turned and smiled 

"Hey, Bud, why aren't you with Papa?" 

"He's doing the thing again..." 

"The thing?" Takashi asked

"Even Hunk has night terrors," Keith smiled painfully as he patted Takashi's shoulder

"Go, I'll be fine." 

"Oh, I know you will be. You're going to have to work through these emotions, it's how life is. But know that you have all of us here for you, okay?" 

"Alright, thanks, Keith." 

"No Problem, Takashi." Keith half jogged over to Tsuyoshi and the two ran back to the shared bedroom to comfort Hunk, leaving Takashi to his own devices staring at the empty pod which he wished would just bring his husband back now. Bring his first love back as soon as possible. Takashi turned and left the cryo-room, he knew standing there any longer would end up with him sobbing for hours straight. Takashi walked himself back to his shared room with Allura, he tried to walk in without getting detected, however, Allura was very much awake and reading on her side of the bed. 

"Hey, how was the walk?"

"Hey, uhh... I was in the cryo-room... not for a walk..."

"Takashi..." She scolded

"I know, I know." He said as he walked to the closet and started to get dressed in his Pj's, "Keith was there to give me a hug, at least. We talked for a bit too."

"Oh, what about?" 

"We just talked, but then Tsuyoshi grabbed Keith," Takashi sighed as he dropped his shoulders, turned and began to walk towards the bed, "So, then I decided I wanted to be here." 

"Good choice," Allura smiled as Takashi crawled into bed

"No joke," He slumped into the bed and sighed, "This bed is the best." 

Allura placed her book down and shut off the lights as she cuddled near to Takashi and wrapped him into her arms attempting to cocoon him in a safety hug. 

"I love you, Takashi," 

"I love you too, Allura," Takashi laughed a little as he let out a small breath, moved his hands to hers which clung around his chest and fell into a deep sleep that he very much needed. 

 

~~

 

_Takashi looked around the room, his old office gleaming and glistening in its new status as he had just graduated top in his class at the Garrison and became an instructor for Mental Health and Rehabilitation. He had to test every Cadet and give his report to if they were ready for the flight simulations or if they were to be sent home. He smiled at his desk and fixed one paper clip that was slightly at the wrong angle. A knock came to his door with a voice following it,_

_"Uhhh, Professor Shirogane, right?" Takashi turned around to a very small cadet shaking in his boots, his caramel skin practically flawless and his oceanic blue eyes avoiding his superior's gaze. The Cadet slightly walked in, the door shielding him only for so long._

_"Yes? You don't happen to be Lance Fuentes?" Takashi looked at his clipboard which he held tightly in his hand, a file clipped to the top._

_"Y-Yes sir!" Lance saluted_

_"At ease, Cadet," Takashi chuckled. Every Cadet that came to him was boring and always seemed to be nervous around him, but for some reason, Takashi wanted to see just why this cadet was so twitchy around him. Honestly, this boy is Takashi's type and it sent invisible chills down his spine. Takashi circled around the coffee haired cadet and stopped right behind him, scribbling a circle on the file as if he were taking notes. Takashi leaned right near Lance's ear and blew a little bit of air from his chapped lips._

_"S-SIR?!" Lance panicked as he practically jumped out of his skin and covered the assaulted ear_

_Takashi played it off as he said, "Reflexes, decent," as he walked back in front of Lance and smirked. He tapped a thick ballpoint pen on the clipboard and raised a brow as he got about halfway down, where disciplinary actions would be documented, "So, you're the playboy extraordinaire?"_

_"I-I didn't know I had a reputation like that... sir.." Lance said in a hushed tone and he looked back to the ground a little discouraged that those would be on his record._

_"I would think if you were such then you would've reacted differently to the blow in the ear, but we can work on that."  Takashi added a few notes forcing Lance to swallow nervously._

_"Uhh, sir?"_

_"Are you free after classes? Or are you still a "house ridden" freshmen?"  Takashi mocked lightly_

_"I-I-I-I can m-m-make my way out," Lance tripped over his voice trying to find the words_

_"Excellent, meet me up on the roof after your last class." Takashi smiled, "Dismissed,"_ _Lance saluted and headed to the door, his body shook as his hand reached for the doorknob, "Oh, and Lance?"_

_"Y-Yes, sir?"_

_"We've got to do something about that last name of yours."_

_"Pardon?"  Lance was ready for this part. The Garrison originally tried to make him change it to make his last name more "ethnically neutral", as a sort of calming factor so he wouldn't be beat up as often, but Lance was not really expecting Takashi Shirogane, the first man to defy the rule and his Hero, to tell him the same thing..._

_"How does Lance Shirogane sound?"_

_Lance just stood frozen as he stared at Takashi. Was this adult flirting? Was this what adults did to try to court others? Lance's face flushed a deep red or as much as it could on his mocha skin. He mustered up all he could as he opened the door and took a step out of the office, winking at Takashi and giggled, "It sounds like a dream come true, Sir."_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is going to be the chapter lengths for right now, just so I can get everything in. I hope you liked this chapter!
> 
> Sorry, I was gone for a while I'm going through some stuff, but I'll do my best to post regularly from now on.


	9. I is for Ignition

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Universe 'A'

Takashi stood in the bridge holding Ama in his arms and rocking back and forth as Keith and Hunk were explaining the mission. It seemed that as of right now, Keith and Hunk were going to opt to avoid using Voltron as much as possible, which was a good decision because Takashi considered fighting them if they brought that up right now. It was Keith who thought it best that the lions stayed in the castle due to the planet potentially spreading the news that the Blue Lion is out of commission, which would then get Zarkon to their location as fast as possible. 

Katie and Hunk had assigned teams for the mission:

Takashi and Allura were assigned the communication tower right in orbit to the planet. They were to infiltrate the tower, bring it down to the world and hold off communications. Once they had completed that Keith, Hunk, Matt, and Katie would travel down to the world and infiltrate the Galra base. Katie and Matt were to hack into the security and get inside while Keith and Hunk gave them ground cover and back up. 

 

"Are we sure the information is accurate?" Takashi asked for the third time, " I'm just making sure" he began to lightly bounce Ama in his arms

"The information is from a reliable source, however, some prisoners have been moved and we are unsure of who those are." 

"This is a recon mission," Keith said with a smile, "If Sam Holt is there like the informant says, then awesome, but if he isn't then we are still saving the prisoners there." Keith looked to Katie and Matt, "I'm not denouncing Sam's importance, however--" 

"We are still Paladins, we'll find him eventually but these people need us now," Katie commented interrupting Keith

"Right," Matt nodded

"We are approaching Arunk," Coran commented, him piloting the ship as Allura was huddling with the group in discussion. 

"Alright, thanks, Coran." Hunk said as he fixed his headband and then looked to everyone, "We got this, no one moves until Allura and Takashi say they have the tower under control and if anything goes wrong we need to get out of there as fast as possible. Tsuyoshi has been taught by Matt a thousand times how to control the backup bots and alert our allies that we are in trouble. The Blade isn't with us today, remember that too. They had to go to Dubbo for their own mission... so we are solo for now." Hunk looked to Tsuyoshi who sat in Matt's seat, which in turn was also Katie's Paladin chair. "News: Ronney and Ama are buckled down in the simulation with the newly programmed babysitting bots that Katie rushed last night (honestly, why didn't we think of that before)... uh, oh, Slav is slowly putting the cryopod back together and in about a day or so we should be able to turn them on again. I think that's all for updates on people.... anyone has anything to say before we blast off?" Hunk looked to everyone

"No matter what happens," Takashi said in a slightly stern tone, "We're a team, we stay together." 

"Agreed." 

 

* * *

 

"Ready?" Keith asked through the helmets

"As ready as I can be." Takashi replied, "Let's do this!" He laughed into the helmet. The Castle open just a little to let their shared pod travel down towards the tower. Allura activated the cloak in just enough time to not be spotted. The two kept quiet as they held hands, dangerous but necessary. Takashi let out an audible sigh as he then pressed the eject button for the both of them, sending the pod to fly back to the ship in a 'homing beacon' way and the two dive down towards the tower. 

Takashi fell into the tower first, his knee hitting hard against the metal leaving a small dent and him with a slight limp for a few seconds. There were no guards so he signaled to Allura who waited right above in the opening he carved out with his robotic arm. She too fell inside, her landing straight on her feet and teetering slightly and miss calculating the distance down. The two nodded at each other as they both marched towards the outskirts of the tower, taking down each and every Galra and Robot that were on it. None posed any concern and Shiro locked them all up in the prisoner bay with their communicators scrambled and destroyed as Allura got the tower under their control. 

"We're all good to go," Takashi said as he stood by Allura who was lowering the tower little by little towards the planet.

"We got Green light!" Keith's voice rang through the helmet at the others, "Remember, take the pods, no lions. We don't want them to know we're down one." Keith commented

Four pods disengaged from the castle and headed down towards the surface of the planet as the tower was doing as well. 

"Tower, why are you descending?" A voice asked 

"Uhh..." 

"Repairs," Takashi took over, "There's a weird ticking noise in the back, we just want to make sure we are in tip-top shape, just in case." 

"Right, okay, we'll lower the barrier, just drop down" 

Takashi was surprised that it worked, and how easy this whole thing was. 

"Guy's I have a bad feeling about this," Takashi said in his headset as he turned form Allura and walked to the other side of the tower and looked out the window.

The four pods flew past the window and into the gap in the barrier that they hadn't known about earlier. Keith shot the barrier projectors, shutting them down so that they couldn't be trapped on the planet that way. Keith and Hunk allowed their pods to continue as they jumped out and began to cause a firefight between the Galra on the ground and the wedded couple. Katie and Matt landed safe and started to sneak around and open up the base in an attempt to get in and hack their way to the knowledge and save the prisoners. Katie and Matt opened the doors and out flooded hundreds of Galra soldiers.

"WHAT?!" 

"Guys, incoming!" Matt screamed as he pulled Katie away from the entrance as the Galra flooded out like a bunch of school children ready to escape the confines of their building

"Hunk, behind you!" Keith called

"What's going on down there?!" Allura asked through the headset

"Keith get to a ship, we need air support!" Hunk ignored Allura's question

"I'm surrounded, I can't--AHH--" 

"Keith!! I can't move! Keith! I'm surrounded too, KEITH!!"

"Matt on your left! MATT LOOK OUT!" 

"Katie! Katie!!"

"There is too many! I can't--KEITH?? HUNK?? Help me!" 

"They knew we were coming!" Hunk grunted, "We were set up!" 

"Takashi, Allura, get out of here while you can!" Katie screamed into his helmet, "We're overwhelmed right now, they knew--ahh--we were coming--MATT LOOK OUT!!--Please get back to the castle." Katie was noticeably crying over the helmets "Takashi, do you hear me?? Allura?!" 

Takashi heard their cries over the radio but he just fell to his knees, "Keith..." He gasped as he looked to the ground where the four were surrounded. This was all just a big trap. Galra were swarming the four trapping them in a circle of gunfire and explosions. The bots Tsuyoshi had deployed were protecting the four well enough but they weren't going to last much longer, Takashi had to get down there.

"Takashi we have to get to the castle and get the lions," 

"I..." Takashi couldn't look away, "I can't move..." 

"Takashi--"

"Ships?!" Hunk commented "Is that a fleet?!"

"They called in a fleet, are you joking me?!" Matt cursed

"ALLURA!! TAKASHI!!! THEY HAVE AN ION CANNON!!" Katie screamed

"LOOK OUT!" Matt screamed right after her

Allura looked out the window and everything slowly turned a blinding white. Allura sprinted to Takashi and hugged him hard as she slammed the both of them into the closest wall, Takashi between her and the wall. The Ion cannon fired, blaring white and purple piercing right through the lookout. Screams of the couples name rang through their helmets as the tower crashed into the ground. Takashi felt the impact, his back almost breaking at the slamming sensation, at the least he knew a few ribs were broken. The tower began to tumble a little, as they had landed on a slight curve of the ground. As the tower danced the two lost hold of each other, screaming each other's names as they were separated.

Takashi flew out of one of the broken windows, flinging him towards the ground as if he were sent out of a slingshot. "Allura!" He called before he ate dust and the earth of the planet, tumbling a little as he came to a forced stop. The tower slowly still tumbled, settling about half a mile ahead of him and a couple miles from the fighting zone, however, he was in earshot and seeing distance away from both. Takashi looked at the burning tower, smoke and small flames dancing out of every hole they could. He struggled to stand. Every fiber of his muscles screaming against him from moving anymore. 

"ALLURA!" Takashi screamed again. With no answer he began to talk to himself, "I can't lose you too, he'll kill me when he gets back. Damn legs, we've got to move faster!!" Takashi slammed his fist onto his thighs screaming with the pain and standing to his feet. Takashi looked around, trying to assess the situation. Several Galra soldiers were sprinting their way towards Takashi and one had already made his way between Takashi and the tower. 

Takashi let out a breath and called for his Bayard. A scythe formed, large and black, at least eight feet in height and the blade nothing to laugh at dancing in an energy emitting blade of unbridled rage. Takashi was hoping the team saw this, he only used his bayard in extreme positions of peril, and he needed to get to Allura even if it cost him his life as well. 

 

 

"Some of them are breaking off!" Katie called as her back slammed into Matt's back from the force of the gunshot to her shield, "It looks like they are going towards the tower," 

"That means that they are still alive!" Hunk chimed in, "We have to get out of here and go help them." 

Without further adieu, the Red and Black lion appeared from the horizon. Red charging in and blasting Galra which seemed to be surrounding a prisoner who was limp, but rather it was Keith. With the roar of the Red lion, several of the Galra raced to get out of the way of her flaming blasts and angry stomping protecting her paladin. They just watched as she did this, none of them ever thought a lion could do such a thing as come to the rescue their Paladin. 

Keith slowly stood and looked up to Red, her head fell down and her mouth opened. "Hunk," Keith called into his helmet as he began walking towards he mouth

"Keith! Did you just call Red?! How did you do that?!" 

"I'm not sure.... I can't really explain it." Keith shrugged his shoulders as he sat down in his seat and took the controls over, "I'm coming to grab you guys..." Keith then said

"We all cannot fit in a lion," Katie commented

"We all fit in that sad excuse of a pod the first day we were out here, I'm sure we can fit in Red. We're getting out of here." Keith said as he landed Red right in front of them. She let out a roar and a spitfire of explosive breath warning off the remaining Galra. Katie, Matt, and Hunk climbed into the Lion, easily fitting inside as Keith then flew them towards the Black lion. 

"It looks like Takashi is--wait, he's using his bayard!" Matt gasped

"What the hell has he gotten himself into now?!" Katie complained, "And where is Allura?!" 

Keith parked Red right beside Black who seemed to be lecturing Takashi over what the hell he just got himself into. The four fled out of the lion to help Takashi, however, the Galra weren't the source of his fighting. He had already incapacitated the ones who tried fighting him, but it seemed he was arguing with someone else inside of the tower.

"--are you kidding me? I'm not leaving you!" Muffling was heard as an answer from where the four were standing, "Don't you dare use that line on me! Lance will kill us both a thousand times if I just leave you!" Takashi looked to the team, his eyes red, puffy, and leaking tears like no tomorrow "Help..." 

"Takashi?" 

"She's...." He choked, "Allura's stuck under the tower... I don't know how to get her out..." he dropped his bayard to which it materialized back into his hip

"Leave me!" Her voice was faint and broken

"Stop with that!" Takashi yelled back

"Allura?" Hunk pressed a hand against the tower 

"Hunk, grab Takashi and run! The tower is leaking gas and it's right by a flame. It could explode at any time, please." 

"No, don't you dare Hunk! Allura, we're going to get you out of there so stop saying things like 'take care of the kids' okay? You'll be fine, you're going to get out of here..."

Hunk closed his eyes and looked to Keith who shook his head side to side, "We'll all die here if I don't" he mouthed back being silent for Takashi's sake. Hunk let out a sigh, "Takashi... say your goodbyes. We're...." Hunk let out a tear, "We have to go." 

"NO!" Takashi said in a shrieking tone "You can't!!"

"Takashi," Allura's voice cut in, "I love you. Okay? I love you and Lance, Ama and Ronney. But there is no saving me. My body is mangled and I'm not even sure the cryopods will be able to save me. The gas is getting quite close to the flames and any movement of the tower would throw them close to each other anyway." 

"Don't accept death so easily! We can... we can save you, Allura, please!" 

"Thank you, Allura, for everything," Matt said in a whimper

"What are you--" Takashi turned to scold the team but he was grabbed by Hunk, "NO!! ALLURA!! HUNK LET ME DOWN! ALLURA!"


	10. J is for Juxtaposition

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Universe 'B'

Lance wanted to find Shiro and slap him right across the face, but right now that wouldn't resolve anything. Shiro came in last night and had a heart to heart with Lance about emotions and junk, and Lance was fine with that, like whatever. He wanted to confront his younger, mini, self and talk to him about self-image and stuff like that but when he walked into the meeting room this morning everyone was suited up and looking like they were ready to embark on a mission, he got a little anxious:

 

_"Morning, what's everyone all ready for?" Lance asked rubbing his eyes a little as he walked in to the bridge of the ship_

_"Oh, L.S., good morning," Allura smiled as she called him the absurd nickname that stuck with him_

_"We are talking about some information that was sent to us," Hunk explained, "Shiro got a hit that this base is holding some of our rebel alliance members, and may even be holding Pidge's father--"_

_"No, don't you dare go. It's a trap."_

_"You can't be for sure," Shiro said, closing his eyes and sighing as he walked towards Lance and swayed his neck_

_"No, listen, I ciphered through millions of these types of messages back home, just let me look at the message and I'll tell you everything that's wrong with it."_

_"We're going to Arunk, L.S.--"_

_"ARUNK?! Are you fucking serious, Shiro? Do you even know what Arunk is?"_

_"Whatever it is in your universe does not mean it is on ours." Shiro scolded, "This is our universe, and we are going to go check it out."_

_"No, you aren't, Shiro! I am not letting you put the team in that amount of danger, it's practically suicide!"_

 

Lance lost the argument and the team embarked on the mission. He strapped into his seat, metaphorically, and began to think of contingency plans. What if something happened to 'X'? What if when 'Y' goes off--? He just thought the whole way. Lance knew for a fact, and even if this team wouldn't listen to him, that Arunk was a mob planet. They lured those who had lost people in space to their home and kidnapped or killed them. It was a vicious cycle. Even those who didn't lose people would fall for the "tourist" attraction and die anyway. Lance knew all too well, he had visited them on one of his missions because he had heard word about them holding one of the Blade and he wanted to do Kolivan a favor, but he almost died... he couldn't tell Takashi or Allura either because he almost lost his leg that day and those two would have his head for doing something so dumb. 

Lance closed his eyes and let out a sigh as he hoped the two weren't having such a struggle that he was. That they were having fun and just assuming that he was out on one of his missions chilling with the Blade and they didn't have a worry with them. That Allura and Takashi were in each other's arms and sleeping soundly at this hour. Maybe Ronney and Ama were sleeping too, or Tsuyoshi was keeping them company so that they wouldn't wake up Allura and Takashi. Either way, Lance smiled confidently that they were both safe, and hoped that they both would still love him when he returns. 

 

"Okay, Shiro," Lance sighed as he dropped his shoulders, "What's the plan of attack?" 

"Well, with our information, Pidge's father is inside of the base. So, I was thinking two of us infiltrate the lookout tower, maneuver it below so that the planet will open up its barrier to let us in. We fly a few of the lions in for a distraction and one of us goes on the ground, gets inside, gets Mr. Holt, and gets out." 

"We're all going to die with that plan, they'll ambush the person on the ground easy. What if--" 

"L.S., we got this," Shiro said not turning around and addressing Lance with eye contact. 

"I'm not telling you that you don't have this, but with a half-assed plan like that someone is going to die."

"It's not half-assed and no one is going to die," Little Lance turned around and tried to give Lance a confident smile

"Alright, but I'm giving sniper support. I don't care if they are Galra, or another Alien unless they have the Voltron symbol on them or one of you protecting them they will be shot." 

"Harsh..." 

"This is war, guys. We can't just go into it with half-assed thoughts and a 'maybe'." Lance sighed, "It's your team though, so I'll follow. But I am not leaving anyone and no one is dying on my watch." he mumbled the last bit to himself as he just watched the stars pass. 

The Paladins finished talking about the plan, solidifying what was about to go down and who was in what position. Little Lance, Allura, and Pidge were sent to hack into the system, retrieve some of the rebels inside or Sam Holt, and get out of there as fast as possible. Shiro decided to be ground support as Keith and Hunk got the barrier down somehow. That was it. A suicide plan. Lance knew that it wasn't about to work and the last thing he wanted was to watch the people he loved die. 

"Shiro, are you sure about this?" Lance asked once more, "This is the last time I'm asking, I just want to make sure." 

"I'm positive Lance, this mission will go fine." 

* * *

 

_Yeah, bull-fucking-shit!_

Lance ran around the outskirts and upper lip of the ground. Arunk was more rocky and solid here, but with the sounds of bombs, alien swears, and several Arunkians attacking him he knew that this planet was the same as back home. 

Lance pulled the sniper rifle that he borrowed from the castle (when he first got it he went to the engineering room with Hunk and Pidge to amp it up a little, to his liking) to the front of him and shot down a few Aliens running towards him. Lance tapped the helmet on the spacesuit he stole from the archive room and tried to locate someone from the team, all he could hear were explosions, gun shots, and light bantering from the team. Nothing about needing help and nothing about being safe.

A giant blast of an ion canon cascaded it's iridescent illumination purple light across the span of the little town below, almost leveling everything in sight.

"You got to be shitting me!" Lance screamed out, "Shit. Guys? Shiro? Allura? Pidge-Podge? Keith? Hunk? Someone? Please, answer me!" 

"I'm fine, L.S.!" Hunk's voice called through an amazing amount of static interfering a little, "Uh, Keith and I met up with Shiro like the plan called for but we're cornered. We're doing our best to fight but with one long range and two close-range fighters we're not really posing a threat. Can you give us some cover fire?" 

"Of course! Ask for it sooner, buddy. What's your location?" Lance got onto this stomach as he situated his sniper rifle at base level. He looked around trying to find land marks as Hunk and Keith debated on where they were. 

"Uhh, Shiro, where are we?" 

"We're about 5 kilometers from the where the ion canon just hit and 3 from the main building." 

"Got it! Alright, when you see the first shot get out of there, okay?" 

"Got it!" The three chimed back

"L.S., you ready?" Little Lance asked as he too situated himself right beside Lance 

"You're okay!" Lance chimed happily but then opened his eyes, "you're supposed to be with Allura and Pidge-Podge--" 

"We made it back, no problems. Are the "men" having a problem?" Allura mocked slightly. Lance looked behind and saw her and Pidge with small scrapes and bruises on their bodies. Little Lance was no better, he seemed to protect them with himself with how banged up he looked. 

"They got trapped," Little Lance smiled proudly

"Any time would be great L.S.!" Keith grunted. Lance jolted a little and placed his eye on his scope. Aiming for a split second, let out a breath and then shot the first shot, landing a foot away from Keith's head, killing the Galra in an instant.

"Lance, give them cover, I'm going for head-shots," Lance said as he nudged his mini

"R-Right," Little Lance responded as he gave the three boys cover fire to get out of the cavern. Lance shot down several Arunkians and a few Galra that were there too. When the three were above ground, Lance pulled out a small grenade looking fruit and tossed it towards all the bots which were sprinting towards them. 

"Alright, we're good to go, we should get out of here _now_." Lance sighed as he climbed into his pod and flew back onto the ship ignoring the team a little but also not leaving until he saw the six get into the lions and head towards the castle. He parked his pod and jumped out, stomping his way out of the hanger and through the halls. Lance tried to subdue his rage, but his blood just boiled so much at this point that he prayed for whoever he ended up seeing first. He made his way to where the Paladin armors are placed, he slowly began to undress ignoring the fact that this wasn't really necessary, but he didn't want to keep this in his room. 

The door behind him opened, not really startling him but more regurgitating the anger that he had calmed a small bit.

"Are you alright?" Shiro walked in, his armor still on and Lance half out of his, the black undersuit, belt, and boots the only thing left on his mock-Paladin armor

"No," Lance answered not looking to Shiro 

"I know you're angry at me, Lance--" 

"Angry doesn't even cover it. I warned you about Arunk. One of us could've died. I told you that Sam would never be there because of his age, I told you that Matt wouldn't be there because he got out according to Pidge-Podge, I told you that it was a trap but you didn't listen to me and we could've died. You would've if I wasn't prepared to save your asses." Lance let out a long sigh "I know you are more of a seeing believer than trusting others around you, but do not ever put your teem in jeopardy like that because you have a _hunch_ that has more chance of being wrong than being right. We got lucky. Someone could've died out there. Arunk has contingencies for everything."

"Lance, I'm sorry okay?" 

"Honestly, I don't want sorry, Shiro. I want Better. I don't want you to put your entire team in deaths way if you are going to go around the objective over a simple hunch." Lance finished undressing and began put on his normal clothes ignoring Shiro's discomfort. "If one of them died it would be on your head, but I know you'd find some way to blame me." 

"Lance, don't be such a hard ass,"

"Oh, hard ass? Fine. Okay. I get it." Lance put on his shirt and walked past Shiro without saying another word. He made his way down to the training room so he could punch something and only break himself. Maybe then he could be put into the cryopods and make it back home.

 

 

However, the training deck seemed to be the wrong place to go. Shiro, too, wanted to let out his anger on bots but instead he just watched Lance punch the living day lights out of the bots and rip some apart with his bare hands. Light curses in other languages left his mouth and he even sounded as if he were cursing in Altean. 

"How long has he been at it?" Keith asked as he leaned in to look at the training room with Lance jumping around kicking and punching bots, their swords, spears, arrows, and fists not landing on him once. 

"Ever since we got back..." Shiro commented watching Lance, "The pain in his eyes when he was lecturing me, and right now... he seems broken."

"Well... what would you do if one of us almost died?" 

"But we didn't die." 

"I know..." 

"Are you two girls done gossiping out there, or are you going to come in and talk to me about it?" Lance questioned looking back for a split second and kicking the last bot into the ground

"You could hear us?" Shiro asked as he and Keith walked in

"Of course, you two have never been good at whispering." Lance shrugged his shoulders as he walked over and grabbed a small hydrating pouch

"Lance, about earlier--" 

"No, Shiro. I told you I didn't want sorry. So don't apologize." Lance was short and huffed a small breath of exhaustion or boredom, Shiro and Keith couldn't pinpoint which.

"There you are!" Pidge's voice chimed into the training room, "I asked Hunk where you were L.S. but he hadn't seen you since we got back from the mission. I was wondering if I could borrow you and show you some things that I've thought about and hypothesized about the cryopods that could maybe help you get home!" 

Lance walked up to Pidge and placed his hand on her head, "Good job Pidge-podge, I'm proud of you." Lance's smiled faded, "I've got to talk to Keith and Shiro for a second, so I'll meet you there, alright?" 

"Okay!" Pidge said as she turned and left the room in a slight skip. 

"You, have to talk to us?" Keith asked, swallowing his anxiety a little

Lance waited until the door shut and let out a silent huff. He didn't look back to the two as he let his shoulders shake and he fell to the ground on his knees.

"Lance?!" Shiro rushed to the front of Lance and saw that he was crying. Tears streaming down already red and puffy eyes. 

"Fuck you..." Lance said in a seldom tired tone as he lazily punched Shiro's jaw leaving nothing but a little kiss of skin to skin contact. 

"I... Lance..." 

"I can't lose you again, Takashi... I can't think about losing any of you. What if something happened to you? What if Allura and Pidge got more than small scars? What if something happened to Hunk, Takashi? What if?! You can't just go in barrel chested because you want to prove you've got the biggest package!" Lance lightly pushed Shiro, "You're leading children into a war, they look up to you, you can't just expect them to know whats a good plan and what isn't. They aren't as experienced as you in making plans and decisions--" 

"Take a breath, Lance," Keith said mocking a yoga breath in and out as he sat right beside Lance a little awkwardly. He seemed to know how to deal with Lance's melt downs, guess this Lance had enough for Keith to understand that Lance just needs to sob out his emotions in the arms of someone he trusts before he wants to talk about them. 

"I'm not 16, Keith, but thank you." Lance patted Keith's head, "I'm a grown ass man who just needs to see his husband, wife and children." 

"You have kids?" Keith asked

"Yeah... A son. I thought I told you guys about that.." 

"I don't think so, or maybe we forgot..." Keith looked to Shiro who shrugged

"Well, it doesn't matter if or if I didn't tell you. I just want to get back home and hold my wife and Husband. I want to hold Ronney and Ama.... I just... I don't want to have to worry about them anymore, and you with your stupid insane plans are not helping me be calm about my husband who is literally you! Just.... just like you..." 

"Lance, I'm sure they are both fine, I'm positive that when you get back everyone will be there with open arms ready to bring you in to a group hug. You have nothing to worry about." 

"Are you sure, Shiro?" 

"I can't say I'm positive, but I'm hopeful. Everything will be okay in the end, time is the only thing we need." 

"I'm going to kiss my husband and wife so hard when I get back home." 

"I'm sure you will, lover-boy Lance. Now let's go see what insane thing Pidge has thought about doing with the pods. For all we know she made an inter-dimensional wormhole or something right in the castle. Ready?" Shiro stood and stretched out his hand,

Lance met it and pulled himself up, "ready."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey, guys, I'm sorry that I haven't updated in a while. I was really trying to give this chapter justice and I hated myself for just leaving Takashi like that. But here we are, acting as if nothing major happened in the last chapter. Also, I've been very stressed myself. Updates will be random for a bit, sorry.


	11. K is for Kinship

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Universe 'B'
> 
>  
> 
> P.S. This has a saying that one of my friends demanded I put in. Slightly vulgar.

**\--- One Week Later ---**

Lance stared at the oncoming Galra marching under the underhand that he was hiding on. Little Lance crouched behind him, his bayard formed into his blaster and he looked around corners making sure that no one would crawl out from the crevices and attack them. 

"We can't do this, seriously guys," Little Lance worried, "There's so many galra here, and there's those weird guys with masks and the lightning from the hands. Guys, lightning from their hands!!" 

"Lance, you got this," Shiro's voice called through his helmet "you both do," He added after a second too long

"Thanks for the encouragement, fearless leader," Lance spat back. 

Lance was done with the charade. He was done with thinking that he was going to get home, and he was done with this whole inter-dimensional thing. Here they were, again, in a situation that could kill them all. It could kill Shiro, Keith, Little Lance, and Hunk at the least... This was not good for his heart.

 

_"Shiro, we are not going to go onto that ship," Lance said._

_"And why not?"  Shiro asked as his pointing finger curled and formed a whole fist._

_"The last week when you went in with half-assed information and your dick out we all almost died!"_

_"This isn't half-assed information, L.S. This is a distress beacon that we are receiving from a ship. This will be different."_

_"What's different about it? You 'think' a distress beacon is on this maximum security prisoner ship. You 'assume' that it's going to be an in and out mission when it's a MAXIMUM SECURITY prisoner ship. I've told you a thousand times to use you're head but let's not listen to Lance because it's not like he talked to Koli, like, five ticks ago about this and they all heard it. Nooooo. I have a big barrel chest, a thick dick and we're going to whip it out thrash it against the table and just wait for someone to dare compare."_

_"Eww..." Pidge scrunched her face_

_"L.S, was that necessary?" Shiro asked_

_"As necessary as this death trap. So, apparently, yes."_

_"L.S. just trust Shiro, okay?"_

_"That's a great idea, Lance!" Lance gasped at his mini's request, "Let's trust the guy that almost killed you guys on Arunk_ _and who almost got all of you killed on Naxzela." they all stared at him wide-eyed as he mentioned the planet that almost killed them all and everyone in the coalition. "Put that in your pipe and smoke it."_

_"H-How..." Allura looked at Lance, "How do you know about Naxzela?"_

_"I found video files. The Castle usually records everything, at least ours did. I wanted to learn something because I felt you guys weren't telling me squat. So, I did some research."_

_"You have no right!"_

_"Oh? I thought I was going to be part of this team too, Keith,"_

_"You're here until we can--"_

_"Send me back, got it." Lance sighed and lifted himself off of the wall, "Continue planing your suicide plan.... AGAIN." Lance left, wishing he could slam the doors but just had to count his current blessings. He was going to go on this mission and do his best to counter whatever Shiro was doing and maybe be able to save them._

 

"I don't see any readings of the beacon on the ship," Hunk commented

"I wonder why?" Lance mumbled to himself

"L.S. keep your sass to yourself," Shiro demanded "Report."

"Fine..." Lance sighed, "There's no activity here. Just Galra coming in and out," Lance sat up and began deconstructing his sniping rifle, "Diddly Squat."

"Alright, you two hold your positions,"

Lance let out a sigh, "Mini me and I are--" Lance's voice trailed off as he spotted a familiar face walk onto the ship. "H-H-How...?" Tears, without warning, began to fall down his face "Mini me," Lance called to Little Lance, "let's meet up with Pidge-Podge." 

"What? Why?" 

"L.S. that's not part of the plan!" 

"Sendak is down there. I'm moving unless you want me to go down there and beat his skull in with my bare hands. I'm already holding myself back as much as I can. Don't think I won't go down there and pick a fight with that half army of Galra just to get to him." 

"Wow... you have a grudge," Little Lance commented,

"We're moving." Lance grabbed his mini and began running towards where Pidge and Hunk were. Lance felt his mini give him a look, "I told Shiro, just thought he'd share the lovely information about my flawed past." Little Lance shook his head, "good to know... Sendak was part of our team back home." 

"Oh?" 

"He worked for the Marmorite Blade, or so we thought. We got.... close. Once he got all of our trust he revealed that he was a double agent for Zarkon. He had told Zarkon all of our movements and then... then he took Takashi from me. He kidnapped my husband for two years and scarred him. I swore to Takashi that I would kill Sendak when I saw him again, however, this isn't my Sendak nor is this my universe to instill pain on those who have wronged me. Otherwise, Shiro and Keith would be laying on the ground in the training room."

"Hey!" Shiro and Keith bit back

"I think I remember you talking about that your first day here," Hunk commented, "Briefly, that or Shiro mentioned it earlier," 

"Right--!!" Lance stopped in his tracks, darkened his helmet visor. He threw Little Lance into the wall with all his might, getting a loud gasp and grunt from him, the wall opened up a little for Little Lance to be able to be tossed into. It lead to a hallway looking at Hunk and Pidge. Little Lance turned back to look at Lance and ask him what he was supposed to do. But with his older self in Altean appearing armor and a good number of Galra standing in front of him with their guns at the ready, he understood.

"Lance, what's going on?" Keith's voice shouted through the helmets

"L.S. has been caught!!"

 

 

Lance stood wishing he didn't deconstruct his sniper rifle. He just stood with his hands raised near his head. The briefcase holding the gun at his ankles laying on the ground. He could move fast and open up the case, or he could just wait for one of the galra to move and incapacitate him under their boot. 

"  _'(Don't shoot,)'."_ A familiar and barreling tone called and calmed any Galra within a mile radius. He walked in front of the group and stood right in the middle of Lance and the Galra who were firing at him. 

"Uhh... sir?" one of the galra questioned but was quickly hushed by Sendak

" _Sendak._.." Lance cursed into this helmet in a hushed tone as he didn't want to alarm the Galra that he knew who he was, only wanting to notify the team.

"  _'(Where is the rest?)'._ " 

"  _'(Up your ass,)'_." Sendak raised a brow at the response. The flawless Galra language rolling of an, appearing to be, Altean kind of confused all the Galra. Lance bore his teeth inside his helmet hoping to not lunge at this bastard and strangle him right here.

" ' _(...Excellent)'._ " 

 

Lance looked at Sendak's back as the group of Galra decided to relocate their newly found prisoner. His broad expanding back felt like such a chillingly familiar sight. The man towered over him. Lance tried to stifle back more tears, he'd cried enough for Takashi to probably feel the sorrow back home. This back. This broad, knightly, trustworthy, sturdy back. This was the back that had protected him and Takashi several times, the back that the Marmorite Blades depended on, the first Galra back Allura had patted in congratulations and the last back that Lance had seen before Takashi was taken away from him for two years.....

Lance hated talking about what a friend General Sendak was to him. He hid in the Blade for years in an attempt to tear them down, but he easily got distracted and gained a weird infatuation when they met and Sendak got rid of Takashi and broke his cover only to get to Lance.... It was really hard to trust any Galra after that. 

But Lance has to remember this isn't his universe. This isn't his Sendak, this isn't his fight. He just has to distract them enough so the team can get away. 

Lance ran into Sendak's back, snapping him out of his head. 

"  _'(Are you lost in you're head again, Blue?)'._ "

"  _'(Sorry--)'._ " Lance looked up to Sendak who was looking over his shoulder down to Lance. The red fake eye shimmered as he turned around to face Lance fully. Lance looked Sendak up and down. Both arms, a prosthetic eye but with a slight orange tint, and a scar around his neck with a missing patch of fur. This was not how the team had described their version of the backstabbing man-whore. Their version had a prosthetic arm that was as large, if not 2 times Pidge's size. No the man before him is _his_ Sendak to a 'T'. Lance choked back, he had to be seeing things, but then it hit him. "B..Blue?  _'(HOW ARE YOU HERE?! I'M GONG TO KILL YOU! YOU BACKSTABBING BASTARD!!)'._ " The Galra soldiers held Lance back as his arms and legs flailed to try to land a hit on Sendak

"Realistically I should ask you the same thing, Blue," Sendak laughed 

"Don't call me that!!"

"Once I heard your voice I was taken aback that you even got to this universe," Sendak smiled, "I thought it was you anyway, your body is the same as I remember it."

"I trusted you, you bastard!!" Lance choked out. Sendak removed the helmet on Lance's head and let out a content breath.

"You should know, though, that the Galra here have these cool translators in their armor, so you don't have to speak our native tongue. It screws with them, slightly."

"How did you get here, you motherf--" 

"Come now, Blue," Sendak cupped Lance's face, "I did you a favor." 

"Favor my ass!" Lance spat back as he tried to bite his hand, "You sold out my husband to Zarkon! You beat him into submission and forced him to listen to you with me at knifepoint!" 

"That was all to win your heart--" 

"And you failed. Tell your goons to let me go so I can beat your pathetic ass!" 

"Now, do you really want to beat my ass? I'm the only one who knows how to get you home."

"How can you get me home?!" Lance asked trying once more to force his way out of the two Galra's grasp. But he realized that these two were as strong, if not stronger than his Hunk. 

"Blue, you actually think I'm going to let you into my little--" Sendak had bent down just enough for taunting range, and also just enough range for Lance to lung up and knee him hard in the jaw. Lance struggled as the two holding him forced him to the ground and sat on his back. They shoved his head into the ground almost forcing him to eat the metallic bridge. Sendak stood up straight and caressed his jaw, "You never cease to amaze me, Blue." 

"I will lay you out, Sendak!" Lance struggled, even with the tight grip on his skull

"Ooo? Sounds like I'd like that," Sendak joked

"How did you get here?! Why are you here?!" 

"I'll answer one of those, Blue," Sendak squatted in front of Lance's head, "Before I was brought here, this universe's Slav was incarcerated. His memory was scanned and copied, a painful process, but that does not matter. He had plans for an inter-dimensional telidov. Marvelous. The Galra techs and druids got working on it and made a small version, enough for a person to climb through. This universe's Sendak was sent through and brought me back with him. It was intriguing so I came along. Sadly, this Voltron team go ahold of my blood brother and killed him. So, I live here as Sendak now." 

"I fucking hate you!" 

"Now, as true as those words may be, my dear Blue, they hurt--"

"L.S.?" Lance's helmet called through, "L.S., can you hear me?" 

"Roger," Lance sighed, "I can hear you, Shiro. Don't engage. Leave--"

"Can you just not be a martyr, for like, five seconds?" Pidge called through too

"How cute, they are going to try to save someone not even from their universe," Sendak talked to himself as he then lifted the helmet, "Listen, Voltron Paladins, I will be keeping Blue in my loving care for the time being. Why don't you listen to his requests? Find the treasure in which you seek and then come back for him. I shall be _thoroughly_ bored with him by that time." the helmet came to a silence

Lance closed his eyes and took a breath, his muscles relaxed. He looked over to his left and saw Little Lance aiming for a shot and Hunk at the ready. 

 _No!_ Lance whispered and mouthed over to the two

_What would you like us to do?!_

_Watch you get taken and killed?_

_No, just go back to the castle--_

"Who are you talking to, Blue?" Sendak asked

Lance panicked, almost jumping out of his skin. "Oh, you know, my Best Friend and the Ghost of who I used to be." Sendak let out a breath to retort, but Little Lance shot his left shoulder and chest plate sending Sendak to the ground. The two Galra loosened their grips to defend Sendak, however, that gave Lance enough room to move and get free. "You two are the bravest idiots on your team," Lance let out a sigh

"Thanks?" Hunk squinted his eyes and quirked a brow

"Let's get out of here!" 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I wasn't sure how I wanted this chapter to go, and this just kinda happened. I hope you all liked this chapter and I'm sorry for the long updates. I'm working on later chapters rather than current ones, which is why this took so long. Sorry!


	12. L is for Love

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Universe 'A'

"Thank you, Allura, for everything," Matt said in a whimper

"What are you--" Takashi turned to scold the team but he felt Hunk's arms clasp around his waist and snag him backward. "NO!! ALLURA!! HUNK LET ME DOWN!" Takashi fought against Hunk and reached out for the tower in an attempt to be able to grab on and keep himself with his wife. "I LOVE YOU!"

Katie and Matt rushed into the red lion along with Keith who waited for Hunk and Takashi to enter into the Black Lion. Keith then proceeded to grab the lion and carry him towards the castle of lion's. Inside the black lion was anything but civil, Takashi and Hunk fought for dominance, and Takashi had no clue that they were already out of the atmosphere of Arunk. 

 

"Takashi you have to--" Hunk fell to the ground from a squared off punch from Takashi

"Fuck you," Takashi said. He turned around and lunged forward, trying to escape his lion and save his wife. 

"Takashi, she said she can't be saved!" Hunk grabbed onto Takashi's ankle and brought him to the ground with a loud thud as well. 

"Don't just believe whatever she says, she's as bad as Lance was!" Takashi sat up and punched Hunk's elbow making a small cracking sound

Hunk screamed at the snapping, "I don't want to do this either but there is no saving her... I can't just manipulate a reality in where she survives! That's not possible!" Hunk swiveled his body and kicked Takashi in the chest

"I can't lose her too!" Takashi said out of breath. He pulled his armor trying to get air into his lungs. "Not so soon after Lance! I love her and Lance and I can't practically orphan our children so soon... Hunk what do I tell Ronney?! His mother and Father are dead?! What do I tell Ama?! She's going to grow up without her mother!" 

Hunk moved so that he was holding Takashi down, not easily but he was holding him down. One arm in so much pain and he swore a deep red was turning his yellow armor orange down his elbow and wrist. Takashi had probably broken the arm. "I don't know, but we can't risk everything for one life, that's not how a war works and you know that!" 

"Is it even worth protecting if I have no one I love?!" 

"You have Ronney and Ama! You can't risk--"

"I will risk everything for my family! If it was Keith under there you would be struggling to save him too!" 

"Of course I would be!" Hunk screamed back, tears rolling down his cheeks, "And you'd be the one on top of me pinning me down and giving me the same lecture."

"We can't just accept that Allura's as good as dead, Hunk, please... She's all... She's the reason we're together! I need to make our story, I want to love her as much as Lance does. I need to tell her again that I love her, I hardly got to show her how much she meant to me because Lance was always there and I thought that he inherently deserved the love first and then she got the leftovers if I wanted to... I need to..." Takashi sobbed as he stopped struggling, "Hunk, please... I need to go to her and say goodbye."

They both felt the gravity inside the lion change ever so slightly. A small roar of the Red Lion shutting down and Keith's voice, muffled and incoherent. 

"W-We're...back on the castle.." Hunk shivered as he got off of Takashi. 

"NO!" Takashi sprinted out to the floor of the castle. His knees greeted the floor as if they were old friends several times as they slammed towards each other as he clawed his way to the window. Arunk was just below them. The clouds and buildings which once stood were now falling apart. With what he could see the dust was settling, and a large crater now marked Arunk. 

A crater that wasn't there before. A crater where his wife used to be. A crater that was now in his heart as well. Takashi fell to his knees officially marrying the floor and his body. 

 

 

_"Takashi!!"  Allura screamed as she ran into the training room_

_"Allura, you scared me! Afternoon, babe~" Lance cooed. Allura passed him and embraced Takashi, "Yeah, sure ignore me. I'm good with that. Takashi's more important--"_

_"I'M PREGNANT!"_

_"What?!" Lance and Takashi gasped._

_"No way!" Lance jumped, "I'm so happy!!"_

 

 

"Takashi..." Keith said as he placed a hand on Takashi's shoulder, "I-I'm... I'm so sorry--"

 

 

_"Allura, you've got to be close. It's been like eight months, right?"_

_"Takashi, I'm alright," Allura sat on a bed of pillows, that Lance had made, in the common room for her to chill out on. Lance lay right beside her and cuddled close to her stomach_

_"That's not what I asked..."_

_"Psst," Lance whispered, "He's talking about naming the baby, he's getting nervous~."_

_"Oh, well, what were you thinking?" Allura smiled brightly_

_"I don't know... I mean, I want him or her to have a meaning to their name."_

_"Well," Lance smiled at Allura as he rubbed one circle on her stomach, "You wouldn't shut up about naming Ronney "May" if he was a girl. So, why not name this baby May if she's a girl?"_

_"May?"  Takashi asked_

_"Oh, that was my mother's middle name," Allura sighed as she hovered her hand over her stomach_

_"What about..." Takashi looked at Lance and then to Allura and quickly to the ground, "Amalia-May?"_

_"..." Lance choked back and gasped through his nose._

_"I-I know that it may be a mouthful but--"_

_"I'm going to kill you for being so sentimental!"  Lance rushed to Takashi and hugged him tight_

_"What?"_

_"Amalia is my Abue--Grandmother's name."_

_Allura looked down at her stomach, "_ _Amalia-May...."_

_"We could call her Ama for short! So that she doesn't have that mouthful the second she's born," Lance laughed as he dragged Takashi into the little pillow fort._

_"That sounds wonderful,"_

 

 

"ALLURA!!" Takashi screamed as he began to weep, "NOOOO!" Shaking he curled himself up, screaming her name over and over as he quivered in agony.

 

 

_"The baby is coming!!" Lance fell into the bridge where everyone was standing assessing a mission with an English speaking Alien on the screen_

_"Right now?!" Takashi screamed_

_Father Mode: Activated._

_"Where is she? Is she okay? What should I do?! Do I grab water? Where is Coran? LANCE WHERE IS SHE?!"  Takashi shrunk to his knees as he began to think in his head_

_"YOU FAILED!" Lance stood up and dusted himself off._

_"What?!"_

_"Test run. You can't be panicking so much that you're stuck, Takashi!" Lance walked up to his husband, "She's not really in labor, she asked me to test you, like Hunk did for me right before Ronney was born."_

_"Dude, you gave me a heart attack," Keith let out a sigh as he held his heart_

_"Gave YOU a heart attack!" Takashi raised his hands in the air in exasperation, "Really, Lance?"_

_"Ummm... Lance," Coran's voice shook over the intercom, "Not a drill..."_

_"Oh, shit, here we go babe,"_

_"WAIT NOW?!"_

_"Come on, let's go meet your daughter or son,"_

 

 

"She's gone...." Takashi stared out the window. "She's...they're...I'm alone..." 

 

 

_"It's a girl, congratulations!"_

_"A daughter!" Lance cheered_

_Coran passed the small little girl to Allura. The little Girl looked up to Takashi and instead of crying she quirked a smiled and giggled as she struggled against the burrito cloth around her._

_"Our little Amalia-May."_

_"Ronney, Look!" Lance picked up his little boy and placed him on his hip_

_"Baby!" Ronney pointed_

_"It's your baby sister, Ama."_

_"Ama?"_

_"That's right, buddy!" Lance smiled, "We have another little cutie to our family."_

_"Pwett-ah!!"_

_"Yes, she is Ronney. Oh, my stars! Look at her eyes, Takashi." Lance faintly gasped. He let Ronney down on the bed right beside Allura and leaned in a little. Takashi looked into his daughter's eyes. Her eyes mimicked Allura's blue-pink eyes in a multi-colored ring around her pupil, outwardly the were a deep gray like his swirling and molding with the pink and blue forming a mock galaxy effect in her eyes._

_"She's amazing..." Takashi smiled as he ran his hand over the thin grey hair that patched over his new daughters head._

 

 

"Takashi--" 

"They're both gone... I... They've both been taken away from me." Takashi let his body go limp against the castle wall. He looked to his right hand. The hand that he'd lost during those two years away from his family. He had promised that he would never let his family go through as much pain as he went through in that time... but he's only human. "Allura..." Takashi didn't move as the tears just kept falling down his face, making his eyes redden and puff out, "Allura's gone.... and so is Lance... The two most important people in my life.... poof, gone." he breathed in through his nose in an attempt to bring up the snot trickling down his top lip. "Lance vanished in front of my face, for all we know the pod vaporized him, and Allura..." 

"Takashi," Katie kneeled down beside him and placed a hand on his shoulder

"I know... I know I've got you guys but... it's not the-the same." 

"We know," Matt added as he kneeled right beside Katie "but we're still here for you." 

"They're gone..." Katie grabbed Takashi and pulled him into a hug. She and Matt both held him in their arms. 

"How..." Keith punched the side of his thigh several times, a small tick he'd picked up to calm himself down. "Babe, how do we get the castle running now?" 

"Keith, we can think about that another--" 

The Alarms in the castle began to blare. Everyone rushed to the bridge of the castle, Takashi holding his sorrow back for the moment. 

" _I've received great news, Paladins,_ "

"Zarkon!!" Keith bit back, "What the flying fuck do you want?!" 

" _Oh, I have heard that you are not only down one female pest but also the chipper one who fell under my sword._ " 

"Fuck you!" Keith spat at Zarkon

" _Come now, halfling,_ " Zarkon chuckled " _It was merely inevitable--_ " 

The feed cut off. 

"Taka--" 

"I'm not allowing him to taunt us like this, what is he, a middle school bully?" Takashi fell onto the ground in front of the controls, "My husband and wife are gone and all he wants to do is wiggle his finger and pretend that this was all part of his master plan? Fuck that! Allura died protecting us and so did Lance, I will not let their names be thrown around by a man who had nothing to do with either of their deaths. I will kill him," Takashi looked up to his team, "even if it's the last thing I do. Zarkon's reign over this universe will come to an end, for Allura and Lance."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks so much for reading! It was hard trying to find where I wanted this chapter to go. Did I want it to end really depressing or with a promise? And well, you all know how it ended HAHA. So anyway! (Maybe) Comment something you may want to see, I've read the comments and tried implicating them in (if they work)! I read all the comments, and sometimes comment back! Thanks!!
> 
>  
> 
> I'll post soon after Christmas or hopefully before! Sorry for the weird/ long updates, we should be getting regular soon!


	13. M is for Mentality

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Universe 'A'

Takashi wasn't coping. Like at all. Keith was trying to help but Keith watching from various corners and behind chairs and tables wasn't really helping any more than Takashi avoiding thinking about it in total. Takashi seemed to avoid being alone with any one of the Paladins. He seemed to know when he was being cornered and so he ran. He was always found in the training room meditating or helping Ronney learn a few moves on his own. That was one thing Keith was not expecting: Takashi parenting his children through all this grief. It hadn't worked well the last time he lost a partner and now that both were gone Keith and Hunk were actually mentally prepared to take on both children, however, Ama was in her carry-backpack on Takashi's stomach and Ronney was holding hands or sitting on Taksahi's shoulders. It almost felt like they ignored Lance and Allura's deaths. 

Kolivan and the blade didn't dare come onto the ship without Allura present, and they had heard stories of Takashi's abilities in the ring let alone now that he's been sharpened by the loss of both mates. Kolivan wished to help him grieve as he too had lost mates to the empire, but he was more afraid that Takashi would hold against him every move he tried on Lance in Takashi's absence. So, the blade stayed a great distance until they were called into action. 

 

If Keith had to guess, it felt like a half a year or so since Lance had vanished, or disintegrated... they still were unsure about that. Slav had left a while ago due to him being needed elsewhere, but he promised to be back in a few months. 

"Keith," Keith curled more into the body in front of him grabbing tighter around the midsection

"Sleep, Hunk..." 

"Tsuyoshi is standing in the threshold again." 

"What?" Keith sat up, "Hun, whats wrong?" Keith rubbed his eyes with both hands and then extended them to encourage Tsuyoshi into the room." 

"You said that we'd find Uncle Lance, right?" Tsuyoshi asked as he climbed into the bed, his voice wavering at his words

"Of course we will, I have a feeling he's out there somewhere..." Keith answered as he embraced his son

"Then why is Uncle Takashi telling Ronney and Ama that He's not coming back... like Aunt Allura..." 

Keith looked to Hunk who shrugged and shivered, "I don't have an answer for that. I'm not sure what Takashi is thinking these days." 

"He's not sad, but I feel like he's suppressing a lot..." 

"Yeah, he is. But we can't force it out of him. He'll talk when he wants to." 

"What if that's never." 

"Well, Tsuyoshi, then we are going to have to show Takashi that we love him and that he's safe anyway. If he doesn't want to talk then he doesn't have to." 

"Okay... Dad, Papa, can I sleep with you guys tonight?" 

"Tsuyoshi," Hunk turned around again, "You're twelve, practically a teenager...." 

"Hunk, be nice. Just because you didn't get what you wanted tonight doesn't mean our boy has to suffer." Hunk let out a sigh

"Let's make a sandwich, okay?" 

"YEAH!" Tsuyoshi and Keith situated to that Tsuyoshi lay right in the middle of his fathers, whose arms looped around him keeping him comfortably in the center of the two. Warm and comfortable.

 

~ 

 

"Papa," a light nudge touched Hunk's face, but he didn't react. Tsuyoshi wiggled in his fathers grasps and faced Keith who's eyes were wide with tears, "You hear it too, Dad?" 

Keith's eyes shot to Tsuyoshi and Keith covered his son's ears. It had been about six Earth hours since everyone had gone to bed, more than a blessing especially with the threat of Zarkon on their tail like he's been recently. Keith pressed Tsuyoshi's head into his chest, and all Tsuyoshi could feel was the loud, quick, vibrant pace of his father's heartbeat. Tsuyoshi felt sturring behind him, his other father now well awake. Mumbling was heard and Keith finally let Tsuyoshi hear, the loud abrasive noise had stopped for a second. 

"Hey," Keith smiled worriedly, "I'm going to go for a walk, why don't you and Papa hold the fort, okay?" 

"But--" 

"Let Dad go on a nighttime adventure," Hunk encouraged

"I'll be back, okay?" Keith cupped Tsuyoshi's face

"....kay, but if you're not back and Papa get's worried I'm coming to get you!" 

"That's my boy," Keith giggled. Then the startling noise started back up, and the sound of glass being broken shattered the hallway. "Stay here." 

Hunk sat up and held onto his son as he watched his brave husband go see what was in the castle. 

Keith's heart was almost dropped on the floor when he exited the room. He couldn't tell Tsuyoshi that he and Hunk knew what this was, and who was making the noise. Keith couldn't just let his son know. Hunk had nights like this, but with Keith by his side, it was easy to calm him down and ground him. Keith can only imagine... He keyed in the emergency code to the room that he sprinted to and closed it rapidly behind him.

"Takashi, it's me, Keith." 

" _No, no no no no no no no no no!!! I'm listening, I'm doing what you're telling me to._ " 

"Takashi?" Keith called out, the bed discombobulated and a ball of a man in the corner with the blankets leading to him, "Takashi," Keith sighed

" _AHHHHHHHHHHHH!_ " Takashi started his screaming again, his throat taking a toll and his body red from the bruises and even pierced once or twice by glass, however, only in his arm. 

"My name is Keith Garrett--" Sometimes pretending like he was someone entirely new helped Hunk come back, however, it seemed to do absolutely nothing for Takashi. Keth got slightly close and kneeled in front of Takashi, only to be slapped in the face by the scent of urine. That's when he felt the slight warm soak on his knees. Takashi had pissed himself out of fear, he had made a mess of this room, and he was trapped in his own mind. Anything Keith tried to say was drowned out by Takashi incessant screaming or sobbing. His throat was going to be so sore in the morning and he'd have only one apology and no explanation nor would Takashi want to talk about this ever again after. 

Keith sat in front of Takashi and just talked. It wasn't anything in particular, just a familiar voice for Takashi to hopefully grab onto and bring himself back, "--and remember that time at the Garrison when I punched two commanders and held another at gunpoint all because they were gossiping about you and Lance?" Keith laughed to himself as tears fell down his face. "I kind of overreacted... but honestly, nothing is worth your pain. Someone had to protect you, and I didn't think you had anyone but me, so I had to stand up for you back then." 

The screaming stopped.

"Did you hear me, Takashi?" Keith sat up straight, "Nothing is worth your pain." 

" _I did what you asked.... please... let me home to see my husband and brother.... they are all I have...."_ Takashi tried to curl into himself more, receding back about an inch

Keith gripped onto his shirt. He knew Takashi thought he was talking to a Galra soldier, maybe even Sendak. Even so, it meant the world to him that Takashi wanted to come home to see him.... his brother. 

"You're already home, Takashi," Keith said with a whimper. He let out a breath and tried to clean off his eyes, knowing that it always distressed Hunk when he realized his state caused Keith to cry. "You're home, you are even sitting in your room.  We're going to have to air it out and clean it tomorrow. Maybe I'll talk to Coran and we can take an off day tomorrow. Go to Shay's Balmera and go to the spa they opened up. Hunk's been wanting to visit her anyway." Keith smiled, "I think you need a day off, and I know the second you come to you are going to deny being in pain and you are going to try to brush this off but--" 

"I need help." Takashi's rugged voice cut in. 

"Takashi?" Keith jerked up

Takashi moved slightly, the blankets falling off of his head enough to show Keith that Takashi's eyes weren't glazed over and that he was back. "I need help," he repeated, "Like..." Takashi let out a sigh "Fuck... did I piss myself?" 

"You were deep into the terror." 

"Yeah... I know... Ulaz was there... my arm... ugh, everything at once..." Takashi didn't want to move

"Why don't I help you into the shower or a bath? We can get that glass out of your arm, and I can help clean you up?" 

"Keith..." Takashi said in a manner that usually meant that he was going to fight to do this on his own. However, on a movement of his arm to scold Keith he hissed out a complaint and faltered to Keith's request. 

Keith helped Takashi up, leaving the soaked bedding behind. Keith situated Takashi in the tub and let the hot water slowly rise, as he waited he threw the bedding down the cleaning shoot and called for a cleaning robot. He felt around the bed and nothing smelt off except that the bed still smelt heavily like Lance and Allura. 

"Takashi, have you been sleeping in your bed?" 

"No..." Takashi sighed

Keith walked into the bathroom and turned off the tub water, "Where have you been sleeping?" 

Takashi sighed, and looked at the water, knowing that the answer was going to get a rise out of Keith. "Remember a while back when Coran worried about our sleep schedules and the Castles idea of day and night?" 

"Yeah?" 

"And he offered artificial sleep injections to force us to sleep..." 

"You didn't!" 

"I can't sleep on my own Keith... I'm used to someone being in bed with me. Allura is dead and Lance might as well as be dead." Takashi closed his eyes for a second as he felt Keith lift his arm up to scrub down his body, "You don't have to do this..." 

"You're not even sleeping right, and I can tell by your stump that you aren't bathing correctly and you're frame is weakened. You aren't taking care of yourself mentally or physically. I have to do something Takashi."

Takashi just took in the pampering. His body getting washed by his best friend, and even brother figure almost. But they both knew that if the right cards were played then their story would be very different. Neither of them completely saw each other as a brother, but ten years later was not the time to think about what could be, and instead smile at being thankful for what is. 

"I'm going to put you to bed, okay?" Keith stretched out his hand

"Did you not hear me when I said I can't sleep by myself?" 

"I'm going to sleep with you tonight--and before you say anything, we cuddled enough in the Garrison for Hunk to not be angry. I'll send him a message through the castle so he and Tsuyoshi know that everything is alright." 

"They know?" 

"It's alright, we all love you and know you are going through unimaginable pain. In the morning you should talk to Coran. He's the closest one to all of us that can even fathom a small bit of what your feeling, okay?" 

"I'm okay with talking to Coran, but I don't think us cuddling is going to be good. I'll just take the sleeping thing again." 

"IF you don't want to cuddle with me, then why not snuggle with me _and_ Hunk?" Keith commented as he helped Takashi out of the tub and dried him off.

"My bed isn't big enough--" 

"Don't use that excuse to self-adjusting beds, Takashi." Keith grabbed a set of pajamas that smelt slightly warn by Lance and helped Takashi get dressed as he continued his lecture, "They can fit the entire Marmorite Blade, I sure it can hold Hunk, Tsuyoshi, me and you." Keith smiled, "If you don't want it to be just me and you then I'll take you to my husband and son and we'll make a sandwich out of you." Keith grabbed Takashi's hand once he was fully dressed and began to walk him towards his shared room with Hunk. Takashi wasn't sure how to take this. He didn't want to impose, but having bed partners again sounded almost soothing. 

Keith opened his door, "Is everything alright?" Hunk jolted up and turned towards the door

"Takashi is going to join us in bed. He needs cuddle buddies for the night, and I know two of the best ones right here." 

"Sounds good to me," Hunk laughed through his nose

"I cuddle real good!" Tsuyoshi giggled and beamed towards the two. 

"I don't know... how to.... uh, where?" 

"Come on, you've shared a bed with two people and a child before, this isn't that different." Keith pulled Takashi over to the bed

"But--" 

"Nope, leave your worries at the door, tonight you are sleeping and tomorrow you are talking this out with someone." Keith climbed over Hunk's legs and settled on the side of the bed where the wall prevented him from falling out. 

"Right beside me, Uncle Takashi," Tsuyoshi patted the decent sized space beside him. Takashi looked at the space and then to Hunk. 

"Are you sure this is alright?" 

"It's not like we're doing anything wrong, Takashi. We've had sleepover's before, at the Garrison, and you didn't seem to mind the cuddle pile then. It's no different now." Hunk smiled. 

Takashi awkwardly hopped over Hunks legs and slightly rolled over Tsuyoshi's body. He stiffly settled into the space set for him. Keith and Hunk exchanged whispers and nods before they both settled down. Tsuyoshi was the first to grab onto Takashi and place his head on Takashi's chest. Takashi couldn't explain it but he kind of felt like he was cheating on Lance and Allura. It felt somewhat wrong. That was until Hunks larger hands wrapped around Tsuyoshi and Takashi pulling them into a tighter embrace. And then when Keith placed his head on Takashi's chest and wrapped his legs around Takashi's like he were some type of body pillow that he realized what was going on. He was cuddling. Like back at the Garrison. There was nothing wrong with getting a good night sleep. Lance used to do this for him before they were even married. Takashi loosened a little and let his arm drape over Keith. He had forgotten what it felt like to cuddle so hard. To cuddle for emotional comfort more than physical comfort. He knew some of him would be numb in the morning, but he'd rather his body numb than his mind.

With one last look around to Keith's closed content eyes, Tsuyoshi's concentrating closed eyes as he held onto Takashi hard, and Hunks calm expression and face full of Tsuyoshi's hair, Takashi closed his eyes.

Strangely, he fell asleep. 


	14. N is for Nonsense

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Universe 'B'

Lance just looked at Shiro's mouth moving a mile a second. Lecturing him about how stupid it was to let Sendak talk to him like that. Talk to him in general really. Lance tries to just make it all white noise but after 10 years of training his ears to tune into his husbands' voice, it seems inevitable. Lance didn't even want to imagine now getting used to tuning out his husbands' delicate tone. It wasn't something that he wanted in his life. He didn't really want to respond to Shiro, knowing all too well that if he responded then it would be something wrong. However, Shiro was lecturing him as if he were a child, so, in all logic standpoints, Lance could act and retaliate like a child. 

"Are you mad at me because I got caught, or that he got away and you didn't get to let your anger out on Sendak?" Lance asked 

"Excuse you?" Shiro asked, ducking in a little closer, moving his ears closer to Lance as if he thought he heard wrong. 

"L.S. drop it," Hunk warned with a gasp

"In the castle's files--which you all know I've been perusing in order to get information on the Cryopod so it can send me home--I noticed on your first month or so here you ran into your version of Sendak." 

" _Lance_ ," Hunk warned under his breath

"Hunk, I'm not worried about him," Lance gestured to Shiro, "He's a puppy compared to the man I'm married to. I'm just pointing out what just happened. I just faced the man who planned and plotted against my whole team and was the whole reason my husband got kidnapped, beat and..." Lance's voice hitched. His eye squeezed shut and he quickly moved his wrists to his face, sniffling. "I am not debating with you whether or not that was a bad idea, it was a horrible idea. I know that. Just, don't talk to me like I'm five and that I didn't just go through seeing a demon that I haven't fully dealt with yet." Lance let out a breath and looked at Shiro, "I'm going to go stare at the cryopod some more," He turned and waved.

Lance quietly walked out of the room. He just shoved his hands in his pockets, trying to close himself off as he sulked back to the cryopods. At least Shiro waited until he changed to lecture him, it would've been an uncomfortable nightmare in his makeshift space suit. But Lance's hand caressed a rectangle shape in his pocket. 

"Damn it..." Lance whispered to himself as he pulled out the small flash drive-like device from his pocket. He didn't really want to turn around and give it to the five stooges to frig around with, for all he knew in this universe they had a 'delete all information' button. He really didn't want to deal with that. He decided against going back to the team, even though his feet stopped and even turned him just a little while he was blind in his thoughts. 

 

"He's playing us!" Shiro's booming voice echoed through the halls. 

 _Still?_ Lance almost sprinted back. He stopped just outside of the room. His back pressed against the adjacent wall, like a nosy ex-partner waiting for their guilty fiance to come home. 

"What?" Keith's voice questioned

 _Keith?_  Lance had learned back home how to open the doors only a little without even activating them, so he slightly did so to peer into the room. Keith was red with anger, kinda nostalgic really. His Keith tried so hard to not get red with anger and channeled any anger into... well, now that Lance thinks about it he has no idea how his Keith channels his anger. He'll have to write that one down and figure that out when he get's back. 

"How can you say that?" Lance snapped back to the conversation as Little Lance backed Keith up, "He just, practically, cried in front of all--" 

"He's playing the victim card!" Shiro practically yelled

"CAUSE HE HAS EVERY RIGHT TO!" Keith screamed back, his voice cracking. 

"Keith," Little Lance placed his hand on Keith's shoulder to hold him steady and keep him grounded "Take a breath," 

"I know," Keith took in a deep breath, "Thanks, Lance. Listen, Shiro, he's risking everything for us. He could've been captured today, never been able to see his family ever again. For all we know, he'll never be able to see his family again anyway. The cryopod has been torn apart and put back together more than Voltron. He feels trapped here, and all he sees around him are, well... us. Not his family. People he can't go to. " 

"How do you know what he's feeling?" Shiro asked, trying to regain his calm. 

Lance thumbed the drive in his hand and opened the door in front of him completely. He didn't want to just listen to the team debate if they should trust him or not. He already has had this discussion with Allura a few times. He thought Shiro was over this...

"I'm a lot like the both of you," Lance said, wincing at his voice actually coming out rather than him thinking. 

"L.S!" Keith gasped

"Uhh, right... I forgot to give Pidge this to help me frig with the cryopod." Lance lifted up a small piece of metal looking like a flash drive. "I swiped it off of Sendak," Lance tossed it to Shiro. He wanted to turn around and ignore that he heard anything, he even pivoted his foot for a swift escape. But he connected with Shiro's glare. His mouth just moved on its own. "Also, if you guys are going to debate if you're going to trust me or not, make sure that I actually left earshot before you start gossiping." Lance squinted at Shiro, "You have nothing to prove. We have discussed this countless times, I'm an open book. Speak now, Shiro, or forever hold your peace." 

Shiro almost growled at Lance, for seemingly cornering him. "We don't know you,"

"You're like an emotional teenager, stop saying things like a broken record, Takashi. It's getting old. Drop it. If I was a clone of any stretch imagination, or if I was sent here to kill you, you all would already be dead. Because honestly, you all so insatiable. I can't stand looking at mirrors of my family and not being able to hold my husband or wife. Looking at my best friend and his husband figure but there being absolutely nothing there. My FUCKING children, nonexistent. And no, Takashi," Lance walked a little closer to Shiro and looked down at him, Lance's height feeling like it shrunk Shiro in half, but only a few inches between them, "You don't know me. Do you want some information? I'll let you in," 

"Lance that's enough," Little Lance seemed to be trembling as he whispered a warning

"I'll repeat some things you may already know, but you were too distracted with my "evilness" that your ears didn't pick it up. I was incarcerated with the Galra for a few months looking for my husband. I didn't really think that one through," Lance laughed, as he pulled up his shirt and jostled his pants a little down so that the team could see the top of his thigh. He pointed to a horrid burn that began right there, "I got stabbed with a 1000 degree foreign blade, the healers laughed at me and refused to heal it properly." He pulled his pants back to their place and moved his shitr back down, "I've killed more allies than I wish, and I've had to break family members bones in order to get their minds out of a brainwash. I watched my husband be taken from me, my best friend being the reason he was taken. AND I just had to revisit that  _demon_ that I haven't fully dealt with yet. I've been here for a while. Feels like years, but I'm sure it's only been about a month. Maybe two. It took us  _years_ to learn about each other as a team, and a couple. Even married, I'm still learning things about you because you're still growing. I've been fighting with you since I got here and the only thing I want is to get home. I wonder, sometimes, how you're team has survived so long without me when the only missions you seem to want to go on are suicidal."

"Stand down," Shiro sighed out his reply, trying to not explode. He put his hand out as if to stop Lance

"Are you serious right now?" Lance closed his eyes and rubbed his wrists into his sockets, "For fucks sake!" He yelled, losing his cool first, "Fuck you! The second I figure it out you can forget a 'Goodbye' because the only thing good about it will be me getting out of your hair! _Fucking ---_ I love you Takashi, why are you treating me like I'm less than the gravel you walk all over? What have I done to deserve you thinking less and less of me as the days go on and on?! You know that I'm not the bad guy here, I'm just trying to get home!" 

"Lance, it's not that," Shiro tried to defend, flipping it around

"You bark out orders to me, you overlook my judgments, you ignore that I'm even here until you can find something wrong with me, and you just think of me as dead space until you break down and want a partner that's of legal age!" 

"What--" 

"I CAME TO YOU IN FULL CONFIDENCE!" Shiro finally yelled 

"Oh?!" Lance laughed, "That's what confidence is? Tail between your legs and begging for dic--?"

" _LANCE_!"  

"Shiro... is that true?" Hunk asked, almost scandalized

"See what he's doing?!" Shiro replied, turning to his team

"What? Playing the 'victim'? Just like you're about to do? Just like you've been doing since I got here?"

"The Galra--" 

"The Galra have done a lot of shit, I know. But you can't blame them for everything! They shouldn't have that type of control over you Takashi--" 

"Stop calling me that!" 

"Why? Is it too familiar?" Lance asked "Because that's the fucking reason to use it! Otherwise, You'd be calling me Shirogane too, and not Lance. It's you're last name, Takashi. I'm not referring you to Shiro or Shirogane. You don't know the shit that we went through with that." 

"What?" Everyone just stopped at Lance's remark, as if everything said before was null and void because of that single thing. 

"Damn it." Lance let out a huff and rubbed tears out of his eyes. He had a flashback to Takashi's father's face and Iverson's. "Nothing, ignore that..." 

"What do you mean, I thought it was because he's your husband?" Little Lance asked

"This isn't about--" Lance wanted to argue, but realized this is exactly what he asked for. 'Open book' and all that. He wanted to argue with Shiro, but if this defused the situation then it must be for the better. "Shit... Okay..." Lance took a breath, "I was underaged when Takashi and I first started dating," Pidge gasped at his remark, "That's what everyone else thought too." Lance pointed to Pidge. His voice became monotone as he recounted the memories. "Mom was ecstatic though. I was dating  _the_ Takashi Shriogane. The man who successfully went to Space and made a mark for humankind, the man who made a name for himself, his heritage, his family, his school, everything he was apart of became a national treasure when he came back successfully. It was a celebration in the house. But of course we had to tiptoe around each other in public, otherwise, he'd get in trouble. So Takashi and I would sneak into the bathroom or a closet to find each other and talk, or he'd make an excuse to take me home, like 'my grades' or something..." Lance looked at the team, the anger in the situation defused with the story. "When I turned 18 we got married and I took his name." 

"That's like... predatory, right?" Little Lance asked

"Not at all. I loved Takashi, even before I learned there was a slight age gap. I always thought of him as my hero and I even drew little pictures of us together. I might've even photoshopped a few," He laughed at the flashbacks. "But everyone saw it that way.... and Takashi's parent's disowned him. His rank, his office, his uniform, everything... was taken away in a flash. He was known as the "fallen Shirogane" and I was the bitch that made his career crumble. My parents took us in until we--" Lance stopped shaking his head, "You know, that's enough of story time, we're getting sidetracked." 

"You want to go back to the screaming?" Hunk winced

"No. I never meant for it to be screaming..." Lance looked at Shiro, he didn't want to address him at all right at this moment. "what's going on?" Lance asked again, "You promised you'd talk to someone else,"

Shiro froze and then looked at the ground trying to hide a light blush.

"What?" Lance asked, dropping his tone as if he were talking to Ronney. His shoulders slacked even more and he had to fight the urge to squat down. 

"You're the perfect leader..." Shiro said so suddenly "you know the team: their weaknesses and strengths. You're amazing at talking to them, I mean you got Keith to defend you... that means something in this universe."

"For the record, I think it means something in every universe," Lance smiled as he tried to joke, "But this has nothing to do with talking to someone," 

"You know when a planet is bad and when a mission is going to fail. You got connections because you can speak sooooo many languages. Like how much free time did you have?!" Shiro complained. "You even showed the team your scars and told them your story. You so easily opened up to us even though we--I am so constantly hostile to you. You literally are the better leader." 

"First of all, this was never a measuring competition, even if it was, I'm pretty sure I'd win," Lance laughed, taking one large step closer to Shiro and bringing a hand up to Shiro's shoulder, "This isn't my universe, this isn't my team. You brought everyone together, you have calmed everyone, and you have bore the troubles of this team. But you have no outlet. You have no one to complain to and no one to--as my wife puts it--'mouth nonsense' to. And I know you want it to be me, someone, who has been to hell and back as well, but sometimes it's good to have a neutral party's input. Someone who hasn't been through hell, someone who may be just as innocent as they come, and I can tell you, he gives pretty damn good hugs." 

"Are we talking about Hunk?" Little Lance asked, "I feel like we're talking about Hunk..." 

"Lance, shut up," Keith lightly elbowed little Lance in the stomach

Lance said laughing through his nose, "sorry this got so serious... I didn't mean to walk in here and lecture you, seriously. I just wanted to give you the drive and ignore this whole thing."

"I'm glad you did. I know I've gotten it off of my chest, but this actually felt like a weight is gone." Shiro cleared his throat, "Now, don't you have a cryopod to go tinker with?" Shiro cleared his throat, "Pidge... keep an eye on him, Lance and Keith go to the training deck from some extra reps, and Hunk will be with me as we look over this flash drive." Shiro looked to Lance and shared a ghost of a smile and a nod

"Are you going to this time?" he mouthed to Shiro

"Maybe not all at once, but I can promise a little." 

"Trust him, if you trust anyone on this ship, trust Hunk." Lance smiled as he looked to Pidge, "Alright Pidge-podge we got a cryopod to frig with!" 


	15. O is for Other

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Universe 'B'

Lance actually saw improvement in Shiro's mood. Only three or four days had days passed since their little charade in the bridge and Shiro seemed to actually be chipper in the mornings. He also seemed to be holding Hunk's hand a lot more than usual, but that was a welcome change which Little Lance teased about now and again. It was a more than welcomed tease though, Hunk and Shiro were finally in some sort of relationship, though Shiro made a point to tell (or yell, depending on how early Lance started with the teasing) Little Lance several times that the most physical thing the two did was cuddle. And it wasn't like Shiro was going to tell Little Lance that it usually happened when Shiro opened up a little bit of his heart to Hunk. The two still departed at night and were calling after each other 'good night' 'Have a gooder night' 'that's not even correct English!'. It was intoxicating but in a good way. 

All the arguments and tension haven't totally dissipated, but they have gone down so much that Lance can treat them like childish banter, or as if Shiro were treating him like a brother. Which is more than he could ask for at this point. 

 

Lance and Pidge have been working in the cryo-room almost every night, and even one night they accidentally fell asleep inside the room. Pidge decided to hook Lance's vitals and place a camera on him just in case something went wrong or he got sent somewhere (hopefully home). But the only thing that had happened so far was a small spark that burnt Lance's fingertip. He was less than pleased but they had seen results. 

Also, yesterday, Lance got in contact with Slav. Well, more like Antok contacted Lance and Slav was with him. 

 

* * *

* * *

 

_"Antok!" Lance cheered as he answered the call_

_"Oh, you were right." The slight off accent of Slav appeared as did a green blur in the lower right side of the feed, "He is not from this universe,"_

_"Slav?" Lance questioned, "I need your help, do you think you can get to the Hal Quadrant anytime soon?" Slav just looked at Antok and then the screen, "I get it, I'm just not used to cryopods, and the team here says that you fidgeted with a lot while you were on board."_

_"Fidgeted?!" Slav gasped, "No, no no no, improved!"_

_Yeah. Good ol' Slav._

_"My bad." Lance laughed, "But do you think you can help?"_

_"We have a mission we are currently on, our trajectory will make getting to you an impossibility. I can send all the notes I took on the cryo-stasis pod unit. But that is all I can do for you at this tick."_

_"That is more than enough, thank you Slav."_

 

* * *

* * *

 

 

Getting in touch with Slav was a whole new thing in this universe. Lance practically had him on speed dial back home, and Slav would do his damndest to reach them. But Lance had to remind himself, that this wasn't his universe, and even if Slav was supposed to be the one constant, it looked like he had priorities. 

As did Lance:

 

He shook his head side to side as he tried to stay awake. It was late at night (possibly the equivalent to 3 am) the both of them grueling at how close they were, at how they were right there almost able to get him home. Slav's notes were read and followed to a 'T' and Lance just wanted to figure out what was missing. Pidge shifted slightly to his left, leaning her head on his side, letting out a little snore. He stared at his handheld light blue holo-note book. He thumbed through some of the pages that he had encryption written on and was revising some of the math that Pidge and he had scribbled in the margins. She huffed out a breath of air right beside him. All her weight was comfortably on his side. It was really nostalgic for Lance to have her glued to him and the two working on a seemingly impossible project together and her falling asleep right at the climax of it all. That's Katie--and well, Pidge, for you. 

"Hey, L.S.?" Little Lance's voice traveled inside the cry-room. 

" _Shh_ ," Lance whispered, " _Pidge-Podge is sleeping,_ "

" _Sorry!"_ Little Lance covered his mouth

" _Whats up?"_

 _"Keith and I got bored from sparing with the bots, and I ran into the invisible maze walls one too many times. I went to go see Allura, but when she threw a book at me and told me to 'read' and it happened to be about Altean reproduction, I booked it out of there....Soooooo, I came to see if you guys needed another set of hands."_ Little Lance showed his hands and wiggled his fingers a little

"You two are the worst at whispering," Pidge grumbled as she sat upwards. 

"Sorry," Little Lance sighed

"We tried," Lance smiled

"What are you doing, L.S.?" Pidge asked as she corrected her glasses and looked over to the holo-note book

"Oh, I'm just checking everything. We merged our results with Slav's..." He paused shrugging his shoulders, "that's all."

"Okay," Pidge stretched, "Let me go poke at the monitor behind the cryopod for a second, maybe I can do something back there." 

"What can I do?" Little Lance asked, his tone genuine and steady

"Find something that resembles me to place into the cryopod so that in the case it explodes and incinerates whoever, or whatever is inside, I'm still fine." Lance joked

"Hmm...."

"Oh, L.S.!" Pidge cheered, "Come here!" Lance walked over to the muffled hum of the cryopod. They had turned it on and set it to low power in the case that they fixed it and LAnce could jump in right at the moment or it exploded and didn't take all the Castle ships energy. 

Lance placed his Holo-note book to the side and walked to Pidge. She moved the holo-computer to Lance and stood beside the cryopod. 

"Oh, that's odd..." he said looking over the numbers, "Wait, that means--" 

"WE DID IT!" Pidge cheered, "Everything lines up with Slav's notes, and our notes, and even the configurations on the day you materialized here!" 

"But wait, Pidge-Podge," Lance pointed to a single variable that didn't seem to fit into the sequence, "You see that--" The room began to light up, a translucent light blue fading into a brighter white light that reminded him of home. "That's not supposed to... unless someone is activating the--!!!" Lance looked up and saw a blur of a green hoodie and blue jeans. He sprinted in front of the cryopod, " _LANCE_!" 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Lance was about to have a meltdown. Slight ash just fell from where the cryopod had light up. He looked to Pidge, and right before he was able to say anything. He clicked their horrified looks to each other.

"Wh-What?"

"Pi-Pidge..."

"L.S. you're disappearing?!" Pidge screamed. 

Lance felt a slight reach in the back of his head, pulling him to the ground. His back slammed into an uneven surface, which wasn't behind him in the castle. It jostled a gasp out of the back of his throat. Lance moved his hand to touch the crown of his head, which felt like it was bleeding at this point. Maybe he got a concussion even from that small jostle. Did someone shoot him? Was there an explosion? What happened?

A door behind him opened,

"LANCE?!" 

Lance shot up, the voice was too deep to be one of the paladins, so he almost went into fight mode. 

But then he connected eyes. 

The three stared at each other. Hazelnut brown eyes connected with his blue pearl eyes, then he flicked his eyes to the body sitting on top of his best friends shoulders. It was Tsuyoshi... and his best friend let a sob out.

"HUNK!!!" Lance screamed as he sprinted into the arms of his childhood best friend

"How--what--when--LANCE?!" Hunk stuttered and held onto Lance, crying and mumbling. Hunk smiled so wide as he held his best friend in his arms

"Uncle Lance!!" Tsuyoshi called, even though he's 12, there was no better place for him to be than on Hunk's shoulders, especially with his new found energy.

"Oh, my gosh!" 

"Where did you go?! How did you get back?! Whats--" 

"Where are my husband, wife, and children?!" Lance separated from his best friends comforting hug and sprinted down the light gold illuminated hallway

"Lance, wait--" 

"TAKASHI!" Lance began to call for his husband and wife, "ALLURA! I'M HOME!" 

"Do you hear that?" Matt's voice was distant, but his boots were noticeably getting closer

"Don't patronize me, you know I've been hearing--"

"TAKASHI?! WHERE ARE YOU?" Lance screamed again, cupping around his mouth to make a makeshift megaphone. Lance looked all around, making as much noise as humanly possible as he sprinted through the castle. He slipped in one spot, the spot that if he's going just fast enough that he'll eat shit. He tried to balance himself and almost slammed against the wall. He went to stand to continue sprinting, however, his legs gave out...because then...

Then. 

Then. 

THEN he saw Takashi. Starstruck in the middle of the hallway. Ronney holding his hand and slightly protected and Ama in Matt's arms. 

"No fucking way..." Matt gasped, placing a hand over his mouth and letting tears fall down his face. 

"DADDY!!" Ronney screamed letting go of Takashi and racing to Lance's side. 

"Ronney!" Lance held his arms outstretched as he encouraged his little boy to embrace him at full speed. 

"Lance, wait," Hunk finally caught up to him, "Takashi!" Hunk commented startled, "I found him on the ground in the cryo-room." he shrugged his shoulders

"L-Lance?" Takashi's voice cracked. It almost sounded foreign to him to say his husband's name, but it was even more so foreign to Lance to hear Takashi's voice in such wonder and confusion. 

"Ta-Takashi..." Lance looked up to him, tears, snot, and other fluids mixing around on his face, just pure joy written all over him, "I-I-I'm home...." 

"But how..." Takashi walked over in front of Lance and fell to his knees. "We all thought--" Takashi then covered his mouth with his organic hand "Lance.... I..." 

Lance embraced Takashi, bringing Ronney into a dad-hug-sandwich. Lance grabbed Takashi's shoulders and held him hard, for about 10 seconds before he separated and kissed him. Lance knew it wasn't the most romantic kiss they ever shared, snot, tears, and all, but they've shared worse. 

"Oh, my god it feels so good to kiss you," Lance sighed as he touched his forehead to Takashi's. 

"LANCE?!" Keith's voice cut in

"KEITH!" Lance called back, not moving from the ground as Keith tackled him

"WHERE DID YOU GO?!" Keith practically screamed as he sat up

"It's so weird, I've been in another dimension!" Lance laughed

"A what?" 

"You know, those other universes that Slav always theorized about? Well, I went to one. We were all there, but young and fighting Zarkon because he wanted Voltron--" 

"That doesn't make sense," 

"RIGHT! That's what I told them too, it all feels like some really weird dream, but one of those realistic dreams that most people loathe. Their Lance decided to help me with the cryopods and there was an explosion of sorts." Lance shook his head, "But that doesn't matter, I can tell you all about that later" he smiled, "Where's Allura, I want to see her too?" 

Takashi began to shake in front of him. It seemed that all the Joy had been drained out of the room with that one question.

"We couldn't save her, Lance...." Keith said in a low tone

"What?" Lance asked quickly. He realized they were all avoiding his eyes as they looked to the ground. Just as they had done when they all learned that Nyma and Rolo had been captured and executed by Zarkon. 

"I-I-It was a nasty battle," Takashi said, sniffling and looking to the ground, "She got really injured and... and we couldn't save her..." 

"No... that's impossible," 

"Gang, there is some weird activity happening in the Cryo-room," Coran's voice appeared over the intercom

Lance stood up, still jarred from what his family just told him, and sprinted to the cryo-room with everyone else. Takashi right beside him. Lance landed and a large flash of light almost blinded them all. 

Lance closed his eyes and turned his body away from the light, protecting Ronney. 

"Who's that?" Takashi asked

"Someone is coming through the cryopod??" Matt questioned, slightly scared

 

 

_Then all noise cut off._

Lance looked around just as his knees gave out. He saw the empty cryopod in front of him, he saw his equipment, he saw Pidge's wide eyes as she looked down at her screen. Lance reached out to the cryopod. Everything hit him. A wash of emotions that he used to wear on his sleeves, but had hidden this entire month he was trapped here in the second universe. He wrapped his arms around himself wishing that Ronney was still in his arms, but only a ghost of the weight stayed resting on his shaking limbs.

Not even five minutes ago he was holding his husband and kissing his face. He was back home being tacked by Keith, looking at the face of his best friend....he was just there. He got a small taste of his family back... he got a small little glimpse into what they've been doing since he'd been gone. He got to hug and hold his son and he got to kiss his husband... but he lost a fraction of his heart learning that his wife was now dead. All because of him. His family is ripped apart all because he had to fight Zarkon and get sent away to a place where he cant protect them. And now.... looking around... he realizes.... he just doomed this universes' Lance to the same fate...

He could only scream one thing in repentance:

"ALLURA!!" 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You guys thought the angst was over? NEVER!! lol. This chapter had me thinking and it's been the chapter that I've been working on since I started this book. Wondering how to integrate it and how to make everything make sense, but be at a speed that Lance can't deal with any of it until he's back in 'B'. If there are any questions, comments, or concerns please leave them below! I really enjoyed this chapter! Thanks so much for reading and staying with me through the weird updating.


	16. P is for Patience

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Universe 'A'
> 
>  
> 
> A little bit of a longer chapter. The beginning is a little bit of repeat so I wanted to add some length in order for you guys to get the same amount of information this chapter. Hope you like it!

Hunk said something about walking around with Tsuyoshi and heading to the Cryo-room to clean up or whatever Tsuyoshi was talking about. Takashi asked Matt if he wouldn't mind walking around the castle. So with a 'yes' there the two were, Takashi holding onto Ronney's hand and Matt holding Ama in his arms securely. 

"I miss them so much. You know, lately, I can hear them if I think hard enough..." Takashi admitted

"Yeah, it's like that for my dad too--" 

"TAKASHI!" A faint voice called through the hall, "ALLURA! I'M HOME!" 

"Do you hear that?" Matt questioned seriously, nudging Takashi and turning around

"Don't patronize me," Takashi stopped and practically scolded, the rest of the words out of his mouth didn't make it to his own ears as he heard a familiar voice call for him.

"TAKASHI?! WHERE ARE YOU?" This time Takashi actually heard it, but heard it in a sense that he knew it was....real! Takashi turned around, placing one of his legs in front of Ronney as fast steps were now heard. A body peeled around the corner, keeping low to the ground and sliding halfway. The man stopped. His chest heaving and his mouth agape. His starlight blue eyes trembled with the rest of his body. 

"No fucking way..." Matt gasped

"DADDY!!" Ronney let go of Takashi's shaking hand and sprinted to his....father...

"Ronney!" the man fell to his knees and encouraged his boy to his arms with outstretched hands. The two slammed into each other and Lance just hooked around the boys' body, holding his head tightly against his shoulder. 

"Lance, wait--" Hunk appeared out of nowhere, still holding Tsuyoshi on his shoulders, and almost tripped in the same spot that Lance slid on, "Takashi!" Hunk gestured with confusion, "I found him on the ground in the cryo-room."

"L-Lance?" Takashi's voice cracked. He moved his organic arm to his face as he was ready to wake up from this wonderful dream. But then... his husband responded. 

"Ta-Takashi..." Lance looked up to him, tears, snot, and other fluids mixing around on his face, "I-I-I'm home...." 

"But how..." Takashi walked over in front of Lance and fell to his knees. "We all thought--Lance.... I..." 

Lance embraced Takashi, smushing Ronney between the two of them and smashed Takashi's lips upon his own. Almost the most unromantic kiss that the two have shared, but in Lance's book, nothing will top #1. 

"Oh, my god it feels so good to kiss you," Lance heaved. He brought Takashi's forehead to meet his own as he closed his eyes and took in the aura that his husband was giving off. 

"LANCE?!" Keith's voice jumped Takashi. Apparently he had heard the screaming and made his way toward the commotion.

"KEITH!" Lance screamed back seeing his lack-of-mullet-brother-in-arms sprint towards him and tackle him to his back

"WHERE DID YOU GO?!" Keith practically screamed as he sat up

"It's so weird, I've been in another dimension!" Lance laughed

"A what?" 

"You know, those other universes that Slav always theorized about? Well, I went to one. We were all there, but young and fighting Zarkon because he wanted Voltron--" 

"That doesn't make sense," Keith shook his head. Another dimension seemed so, well, out of this world.

"RIGHT! That's what I told them too," Lance laughed, "it all feels like some really weird dream, but one of those realistic dreams that most people loathe. Their Lance decided to help me with the cryopods and there was an explosion of sorts." Lance shook his head side to side, "But that doesn't matter, I can tell you all about that later," he smiled, "Where's Allura, I want to see her too." 

Takashi began to shake in front of him. 

"We couldn't save her, Lance...." Keith said in a low tone. Everyone looked away from him

"What?" 

"I-I-It was a nasty battle," Takashi said, sniffling and looking to the ground, "She got really injured and... and we couldn't save her..." 

"No... that's impossible," 

"Gang, there is some weird activity happening in the Cryo-room," Coran mentioned in an inquisitive tone over the intercom

Lance stood up, still jarred from what his family just told him, and sprinted to the cryo-room with everyone else. Takashi right beside him. Lance stopped in the middle of the room and a large flash of light almost blinded them all. 

Lance closed his eyes and turned his body away from the light 

"Who's that?" Takashi asked

"Someone is coming through the cryopod??" Matt questioned, slightly scared

Takashi looked down to his newly reunited husband and just about questioned him what was going on, however, only Ronney stood there sobbing, "Lance?? LANCE?!!"

The light vanished, and a small body appeared in the cryopod in front of them. 

"Where did he go?" Keith questioned in a low tone, more to the universe than to anyone in the room

"We... I just got him... back..." 

The Cryopod played its magical tune startling everyone. The team quickly looked to the pod, a small statured teen fell into the room. Matt was closest so he caught the small body, that looked even smaller than Katie. The boy let out a huff of air and staggered back. 

"Ugh... sorry that I did that, L.S., I know it was stupid and--" the boy looked up and caught the faces of everyone that was staring at him with wide eyes. "uhhh... Hi... Um... just how long was I in that cryopod?" the boy forced a laugh out of his stomach as he seemed to recede into a meek attitude. 

"What happened to you?" Matt asked as he looked at the boy, "you look so young,"

"Young?" the boy asked as he looked at Matt in full offense, "I'm actually 17! And who are you to judge?! You all look older!"

"Wait, older?" Keith stepped forward, "what do you mean by that?" 

"And when did you get rid of your mullet? You know how much I loved it!" 

No one knew how to respond so quickly to getting their Lance back and this... this child falling into their home and also resulting in the second loss of Lance.

"Are we living in backwards town? What's going on?" Hunk asked holding his head trying to process it all.

"I don't know you guys tell me! I was just around the cryopods with L.S. and now all of a sudden you all are, like, ten years older, and ripped as fuck!" 

"Language!" Matt called, "No one your age should be saying that word!" he sounded so scandalized

Takashi just stayed quiet. He looked down to his hand and moved his robotic arm to his organic hand and burned himself. The searing pain reminded him that this was reality and that he wasn't having a dream nor a nightmare. He just had his husband back, he just got to kiss the man he's been married to for 10 years. He held him in his arms and his children got to see their father after a month of separation. Takashi wanted to fall into the ground and disappear. Katie didn't even get to see Lance, she was still with Coran on the bridge. She's going to be very bitter about that. 

"I'm freaking out, guys, what's going on?!" The boy's shocked tone and Keith's freaking out jarred Takashi back into fight mode. This man had the same blue eyes, the same bronze skin, the same short mocha hair as his husband did back in their decent Garrison days. 

"Who are you?" Takashi spoke up. Looking toward the boy, however, trying his best to look through the boy and attempt to see that he was a hologram and Zarkon was messing with him like he had been for the past few days that he's been up their asses. 

"Shiro?" The boy tilted his head

"What's your name?" Takashi asked in a coarse tone

"You guys know--! I'm-I'm Lance Jacobi McClain..." the team just stared at him in confusion. Lance, the boy, looked at them, he didn't know what he did wrong but damn it all if he wasn't going to get to the bottom of it. 

"McClain...  wait, did you just call him Shiro?" 

"Yeah, what else am I supposed to call him, Keith?" 

"...Takashi..." Keith whispered in confusion

"Or 'honey', sweetie, love of my life, ya know the usual," Hunk laughed a little as he placed a hand on Keith's shoulder

"Lance said something like this before he disappeared again," Takashi mumbled to himself, crossing the room towards the boy claiming to have the same first name as his husband. "Another reality?" 

"Yeah that's ri--" Lance stopped, choking on his words as Takashi's fist bunched up his shirt collar and lifted him off the ground with ease. 

"Takashi put him down!" Keith panicked

"Where is he?!" Takashi glared "What have you done with him? He was just here, safe in my arms and then you show up and my beloved is gone. _AGAIN._ " 

"Listen, he's safe!! He's been super annoying and acting like he knows how our team works. Look, Shiro, I don't know either. He tried to explain to us that Slav rambled and rambled about alternate universes and he could only explain him showing up to our home as such."

"What's your home like?" Matt asked

"Well--" 

"How did you come through? What is going on? Where did my husband go?!" 

"Takashi, let him down," Keith inquired as he placed a hand on Takashi's tricep. Takashi shook as he placed the little version of his husband down,

"The three of us were fixing it, the cryopod," Lance said fixing his shirt and looking up to Takashi, "He said he thought he had it figured out and that he was finally going to go home. But then he began to second-guess himself. He told me to find something like him to send through just so he didn't get vaporized..." Lance held his hands together in front of him, "I looked to the ground and thought ' _I'm something like him_ '...my feet moved on their own and then... there was a reaction which caused a slight explosion." 

"You fucking idiot--" 

"TAKASHI!" Keith punched him in the stomach, "Language!" 

"It's okay... I deserved that..." Lance let out a sigh, "Like I said, my legs just kind of moved on their own. I wanted to help him because I understood what it felt like to be taken from your family all of a sudden and not get to say goodbye..." Lance looked over his shoulder, "Looks like he fixed it... and it sent me instead..." 

"If it worked once it can work again, right?" Matt asked

"I...I don't know..."

 

* * *

 

 

"Takashi, take a breath," 

"Keith, I can't even breathe, in general, let alone take a breath to calm down!!" Takashi spoke fast, trying to wrap his mind around this, "We all just had him, you hugged him, I kissed him, everyone saw him except Katie, and now that imposter is here in our home. I have never had this much rage for a person in my life!" 

"I know. It's been all of a half hour since he got here and we lost our Lance, but you still got to breathe," Keith placed his hand on his shoulder. 

"We told Lance about Allura with him being home for five seconds and then he vanished. He's in a foreign place where everyone is a five-year-old," Takashi gestured to the small version of his husband that he could hardly look at. 

"Takashi, do you hear yourself?" 

"Of course I do, what kind of question is that?" 

"Listen: This all happened moments ago. Lance is alive! Lance knows everything that's gone down here, and according to McClain, he's been trying to get home this entire time." 

"I..." Takashi let out a breath. He shivered as he turned to look at Hunk and Katie sitting down with the clearly distressed boy. Handing him a hot tea and draping a blanket over him. "What are we even going to do with him? I can't share a bed with him and I'm not letting him take my bed as I keep chilling with you and Hunk." 

"We can let him have the spare room." Keith offered

"No one has been in the spare room since Lotor..." Takashi sighed

"I know, it has all the protocols we wished we had with him before he stole from us and... did unspeakable things..." Keith sighed, "It's not like a cell-cell of sorts, but we can make it a make-shift one." 

"I don't want him to feel trapped here, Keith. Lance already feels chained to that other place, we both know we would be really  _really_ pissed at this point if we were the ones trapped over there." Takashi let out a breath. "What if Katie and Matt shared a room for the time being, again?" 

"And McClain sleep in Matt's room?" 

"We can lay down ground rules and tell him how it is here..." Takashi sighed, "No matter how much I want to be hostile, he looks too much like the man I fell in love with." Takashi took a stride towards Katie and Hunk. He crouched in front of his husbands mini and let out a sigh. He placed his hand on the top of the boy's knee. "We are going to do everything we can to get you home. This is as much our home as it is yours now. If you have any questions, please, come to one of us and ask." Takashi connected eyes with the boy. They shook and shivered and glistened. He felt pulled into them almost as if they were water knocking on sea glass begging to be released and flood his heart. The same damn eyes his husband wields with fury and passion. "The living situation will be weird and different and we are going to try to make it as comfortable for you as possible. I'm sorry." 

"Thank you, Shiro." the boy smiled as he moved one hand away from the cup and placed its warm embrace on top of Takashi's hand 

"Katie, Matt, and Hunk will be the main three looking over you, for now. We can discuss other options and accommodations later. For right now, Keith, Hunk, and I have to go fill Coran into what is going on." the boy nodded his head in agreement. Takashi stood and motioned for Hunk and Keith to follow him towards the bridge. 

"Are you sure you're alright with this?" Hunk asked

"I'm going to have to be, aren't I? There's nothing I can do about Lance not being here and the alternate reality or dimension version of him appearing. We have to trust that Lance will have the knowledge and power on his end to get back home, and when we call Slav and inform him that he'll get his ass over here. Now we know that he's alive. If we have to treat his mini like a prince in order for him to feel safe, then we're going to have to." 

"Takashi..." 

"I'm serious. Just..." Takashi paused and looked at the two beside him, "Treat him how you'd want to be treated if you showed up in his universe. Like he's a fucking human. That's all I'd ask for."

 

"He's really that different?" Katie asked

"What?" Lance practically jumped out of his skin when the door shut. He looked to Katie beside him

"You seemed so unsure of Takashi and you're back twitched when he crouched in front of you." 

"Y-Yeah... Shiro isn't like that back home. He cares a lot, but he's reserved. He doesn't wear his emotions on his sleeve, like all of you do."

"Is it a bad thing that we do?" 

"Not at all, Pidg--Katie." Lance corrected himself again. 

"You can call me Pidge, you know that right. Just like Takashi isn't minding nor correcting you calling him so formally." Katie sighed, she looked at the cryopod and then to the door. "Did he make it alright, o-o-our Lance? He left in a lot of pain, a giant wound in his chest, and we all thought him for dead..." 

"He has a huge scar from that..." Lance looked at her, "He has a lot of scars." 

"We all do, it's what comes with the job as a Paladin. You sacrifice yourself for the greater good." 

"Yeah... I know that." 

"Look," Katie sighed fidgeting with the cut-sleeved, short short, green romper she wore today. "Just, give us a second to get used to it. Takashi and Keith are going to treat you like a child at the beginning. They may even just inherently assume you're our Lance and come to you for advice or seek you out for comfort. No matter what happens, we all have our limits, our boundaries, and some of us have things we don't want to share. This entire ship understands. But we are all also family, so even though you're not " _our_ " Lance, doesn't make you any less human--or any less _a_ Lance. Come to us if you need anything, or if you have anything to get off your chest." 

"Thanks, that means a lot." 

"Hell, I know if I had to live with an entire younger or older team AND try to get my way back home I would've gone insane by now!" Katie laughed, "I have a training exercise that will make your day if you're even 1 bazillionth like our Lance." 

"Oh?" 

Katie fidgeted with the mock undercut of hair that seemed to be getting too long to be called as such, "My hair is getting way too long," 

"Say no more! I'm on the job!" Lance perked up and did a one-handed finger gun to her. 

Katie took him in hand, him a little bit taller than her, but not by that much. She brought him around the castle and showed him where everything was. How everything might be different, how close everyone's rooms were to each other, and how many more rooms there were too. Here there were three different training rooms, two dining halls, and an actual room for meetings. She did tell him a little bit about their origin story and about her and Matt looking for their father. 

Just for a second Lance thought that he could pretend that this was home. 

 

 

 

 

 

**\--2 Weeks Later--**

Lance had gotten used to this weird set up... kind of. Everyone being older and already filled out their bodies. Pidge being called Katie and checking in on him and actually having a varying wardrobe and "slaying!" (as Matt would proclaim on occasion); Matt being on the ship in general; Keith not having a mullet and being married to Hunk; Hunk being just a bigger beefier version of his bro back home; Shiro preferring being called Takashi and the looks. God, the looks he gives Lance; the children?? Like, Tsuyoshi just has so many questions, Ronney uses him as his personal jungle gym, and Ama could care less about anything. It kinda brought him back to Earth; then there was Coran. L.S. had mentioned that he and Coran had gotten in a fight in the first few years in space when Takashi had been captured, but Lance never thought that it would be so bad that Coran would outright avoid him. 

This universe was just bizarre.

 

 

 

Lance was strapped with Ama to the front of his chest, Ronney dragging him along and holding onto his left hand as if it were his life source, and Tsuyoshi giggling on occasion and telling Ronney to tone it down or something along those lines. 

Lance had yet to get a read on the kids. He's used to kids being so easy to read, but when their versions of him, Allura, and Shiro mixed together he's not really sure what he's supposed to prepare for. Tsuyoshi was a whole other case too. To Lance, this was the first time seeing a small alien this close. Well, this close speaking his language without a translator around his neck, and having the same ticks as Keith and Hunk. 

"Don't be so nervous," Tsuyoshi said, not so much as a taunt but as a slight warning. 

"I-I am not nervous!" Lance said back, slightly offended

"It's your first day watching the three of us by yourself. Dad and Papa have told you that you know what to do over a thousand times. Even Uncle Takashi has warmed up to the idea of you watching us alone." 

"Is that such a great thing?" Lance raised a brow

"With how Dad and Papa talk sometimes, it's a miracle you're even out of your room." 

Lance slightly frowned as he squinted his eyes.

It felt like they were trusting him. It felt like they were all letting him into their own, mock, secret club. He felt so loved and trusted here, especially when Keith was around him. Keith was the same here. Well, WAY more open about his feelings, hanging off Hunk, and with a child and two lizards. But he was basically the same. He still smelt like a familiar homoeopathic remedy that Lance could never put his thumb on, his hands still strangely soft even though he works non-stop, his grey eyes illuminating purple when he get's passionate or excited about something, and the tone of his voice when he says his name.... ugh, it's to die for! 

"Ronney, where are we taking McClain?" 

"Lolli!! Lolli!!" Ronney cheered

"Where? What?" Lance looked over at Tsuyoshi

"Ronney practically grew up with Kolivan walking around here. I mean, I did too, but Ronney was like the cub that Kolivan always wanted. So whenever he's on board Ronney get's really excited and has to go see him." 

"And I'm going too because?" 

"You're watching us. Ronney is smart enough to know how much trouble he'll get in if you're not with him on any of his adventures. Maybe a year ago Uncle Lance was scolding him and told one of the Rover's to watch over Ronney and never let him leave his room..." Tsuyoshi shook his head, "We still don't know how he got out of that Robot's sights and into the ducts, all because he wanted some cake." 

"CAKE! Cake with Lolli!!" 

Lance looked down at the boy. He was quite adorable, really. It sparked thought back to him if he kept pursuing Allura if this would've happened for him as his future. Would he be able to have children with her this intelligent and adaptable? 

 

"Ah, Kolivan, maybe you shouldn't go into the castle," Takashi's voice was heard behind the bay doors in front of them

"Why is that, Black paladin?" 

"Well, we're in a situation, right now..." 

"LOLLI!!!" Ronney cheered as the doors opened and he was granted access to sprint towards Kolivan as fast as his little feet could take him 

"Ah, is he the reason why?" Kolivan knelt down and raised his head towards Lance. "I am well aware of your predicament, Tsuyoshi and The Red Paladin have been keeping in touch with me as we were on our mission." 

"I'll have to thank those two, and then scold them for bothering you on our mission." Takashi seemed to stare into the distance with a mocking glare

"It was a simple mission," Kolivan stated as he placed Ronney on his shoulders to play with his ears and fur on top his head, "When the two were filling us in we were chasing down Prince Lotor's location, but it looks like he may have disappeared into the Thia Gappa Region again." 

"Really?" Keith's voice pitched in. 

Lance practically jumped out of his skin. He was focused on how small Ronney looked on top of Kolivan's head and didn't even realized that Keith was in the same room as him. As he looked around he made note that Matt and Katie were also in here. They were all working on one single pod that looked extremely damaged. Obviously Galra, and possibly Kolivan's.

"He seems to be avoiding Zarkon and you guys..." Takashi sighed

Kolivan looked towards Katie and Keith, "We will get him, I assure you that much. I know how much you distrust him, but Ulaz is one of our scouts," 

"Kolivan," Takashi grumbled

"We are short on Marmorite members that can stay still for long periods of time and be able to pull off that they work for Zarkon." 

"Didn't Ulaz work for Zarkon?" Lance asked putting his hands in his pockets

"He technically still does, in this reality," Kolivan tried to smile

"So..." Lance tilted his head, "He's alive?" 

"I'm assuming by that, Ulaz does not make it back where you are from?" 

"No, he sacrificed himself when Zarkon sent one of his Robot-guys after us. Shiro was destroyed because he was so close to getting information about the year that he was gone." 

"The  _year_ ," Takashi questioned

"Dinner time!" Hunk's voice called through the intercom system

"Let's go wash up," Tsuyoshi nudged Lance towards the exit, "Ronney are you coming or are you going to stay with Lolli?" 

"Lolli!" Ronney cheered

Tsuyoshi smiled, he looked to Takashi and his smile wavered a little as if he thought it was his shoulders bearing the responsibility of Lance's comfort. "We'll see you guys in there," 

"Y-Yeah, we'll be right there..." Takashi watched them leave, "Keith, I think Tsuyoshi just glared at me." 

"Oh? I think that's because he's taken a liking to Lance. This version is younger and has a different past, Tsuyoshi likes to learn and he adapts very well. I think he's slightly offended that we all are stepping on Lance's toes in order to go about our normal days when we should be incorporating him. It _has_ been two weeks..." 

"How did you get all that?" Katie asked

"Hunk, and the two of us talk about it a lot." Keith shrugged his shoulders, "Speaking of my husband, we all have a meal to enjoy, now don't we?" 

"Matt, come on," 

"I'm almost done, I just have to--" Keith pulled Matt from underneath the ship, "Clean off my hands-?" 

"Good answer,"

 


	17. Q is for Quintessence

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Universe 'A'

Dinner was extremely awkward for poor Lance. He felt so small compared to his enlarged best friend and Kolivan who sat on either side of him. He was happy that he had the same seat, it was basically his set up at home, which Lance didn't understand at first, but he realized that Him and Keith would switch if he were their Lance. He thought it was kind of cute, about a day into him being here one of the kids made a seating chart. It was... simplistic and it looked like it was made on MS Paint back on his grandmother's old dial-up computer. Takashi had put everyone's name in their perspective seats, and today is seemed that Tsuyoshi even updated the seating arrangement for Kolivan to be able to sit at the table.

Speaking of Kolivan, he hardly ate, he more passed food to the little muncher on top of his shoulders and then ate, maybe, a spoonful for every six Ronney had. Katie was talking to Matt in her usual gibberish, which was actually a little calming for Lance. Hunk tried nudging him a few times to get into the conversation, but without the excuse of Ama, due to her being in Takashi's lap for the meal, he just had to stutter his way into not knowing what they were talking about. 

"McClain, I have to ask," Keith started, making everyone stop and stare at him, "How did you're team get into space in your reality?"

"Well, we didn't exactly expect to be shot into space," Lance shrugged his shoulders and looked at the food 

"What did you expect?" 

"Well, it was just another day. I failed the simulation again and I decided to go out to the town to cool off. I asked Hunk to come with me and we were going to grab Pidge. We found her on the roof listening to the radio. The next thing we know a UFO shoots down close by. The three of us go to investigate and find out that it's Shiro--" 

"Wait," Katie held up her hand, "Takashi shot out from the sky?" 

"Well, a year before that, he went on a mission with Matt and Sam Holt to Kerberos, Pluto's moon. The Garrison said there was pilot error and that everyone was dead, but in reality, everyone was just captured by the Galra." Lance explained, "That's when we also met up with Keith. Keith had been kicked out of school for disciplinary issues that were never disclosed to the students, and we try not to talk about it. Anyway, so we get on Keith's motorbike and get to his shack in the middle of nowhere and rest. The sun rises, Shiro's up, Keith explains some mumbo-jumbo and the next thing I know we're on a hunt for a cave with alien lion-like markings on it." Lance shook his head as he took a bite 

"Well, what did you find?" Matt asked

"We got to a cave, and that's where we found the Blue Lion." 

Everyone just stared at him. 

"Voltron was already made?" 

"RIght, L.S said that Hunk and Katie made Voltron here. Back where I'm from Alfor made Voltron with Zarkon and the other original Paladin's help." 

"Wait, what?!" Hunk shook his head, trying to process what Lance was saying "I thought Alfor was a bad guy?" 

"Not to us. Zarkon was the one who turned on them and killed everyone. Alfor then had to hide Voltron from Zarkon, because it's what drove Zarkon to madness, and Blue was sent to Earth." Lance shrugged his shoulders, "So, Blue accepted me and we headed to Arus, where we found Allura and Coran."

"You just left?"

"Yeah? We didn't really have time to think. Blue told me that something was coming towards Earth and we had to act. We had to pull the Galra cruiser away from our home."

"What about your family?" Hunk asked

"Pidge figured that the Garrison lied to our families and 'presumed us dead in a training accident', so to our families we're dead...." Lance sighed, "And to us, for all we know, our families are dead too. Zarkon could've gone back to Earth at any time while we've been fighting his goons and destroyed it."

Tsuyoshi stopped eating as he just listened, as did the whole team. Hanging off every word Lance was about to say. Takashi couldn't stop thinking about his Lance, and if his husband ever thought that Zarkon would do such a thing. Would he? Zarkon knows that they are from Earth and they haven't been back home nor talked to their families in years. Takashi always thought that going back would just bring Zarkon with them and put a target on Earth... maybe he should give his husband's father a call later on... maybe--even though they could care less--he should phone his own parent's and let them know that he's alright. 

"Keith became my rock after that," Lance continued. Takashi jolted out of his own mind and leaned in a little,

"Pardon? Can you repeat that?" Katie leaned forward and cupped her ear

"B-Back in my universe-dimension-reality thing, Keith and I are dating?" Lance admitted. He wiped his sweaty palms on his thighs as he tried to not look at Keith. He could feel the confusion and Lance wasn't sure if he could explain how or why. However, his mouth just kept moving, "Keith and I were like rivals, but only because I kept lighting the fire and adding fuel to it. I drove Keith up a wall, and one day he snapped at me. He just laid right into me about us trying to be a team and that he was just so constantly angry at me that he was on the verge of leaving the team. Then he slipped up and confessed. He said that h liked me and that he assumed that I was treating him bad because I thought he was gross and weird. He almost cried..." Lance smiled at the memory. "I apologized and told him that I wasn't sure why I was treating him that way, and talked my feelings out. That's when we both realized we had mutual feelings and just tried to build it from there. Keith helps me with my insecurities sometimes and I help him with his anger and rash decisions..." He looked to his left and his voice trailed off, "Sorry...." 

"W-What?" Keith questioned, then looking to Hunk who was slightly glaring and gripping his spoon with a death grip, " _Hunk_ " 

"What?" Hunk looked up to Keith innocently

"Possessive much?" Matt joked

"While we're on the topic," Takashi pointed his clean spoon towards Lance, "what are we all like back where you're from? Personalities and all. It seems a constant for Keith to get kicked out for violence,"

"Rude!" Keith punched Takashi in the shoulder lightly

"Yeah! Who else is dating on the ship?!" Katie bounced to her feet and folded them under her rear as she sat back down in her seat propped up.

"Well...." Lance paused, thinking, "It's Keith and I, then Shiro and Hunk, Pidge doesn't--" 

"Wait." Keith stopped him, "Takashi and Hunk?" Jealousy coated his question

Katie spat out her drink and snorted. She fell off her chair laughing so hard. Matt covered his mouth and wheezed trying to keep the laugh in. 

" _Us_?" Takashi and Hunk asked at the same time

"You two kind of had a thing at the Garrison, but the age thing was a problem in Shiro's eyes..." Lance thought back to that fun adventure of Hunk texting Shiro in the middle of the night. "So, Hunk agreed to be just friends until he grew up. Then Shiro went to Kerberos and now they're deciding to take this relationship thing seriously."

"What about me!" Katie asked

"Katie. you're known as Pidge. When I first met Pidge I actually thought she was a guy. She was in the system as a 'he' and she even hacked everything changing her name to Pidge Gunderson." 

"Why would I do that?" Pidge groaned

"Because you had broken into the Garrison as Katie Holt in order to find Matt and your father. So, you had to go undercover." 

"Relationships?" Katie proded more

"None. You had a slight thing with a few girls. I think their names were Bex, Taylor, and Klaus, but nothing serious."

"What about me?" Hunk asked

"You're basically the same," Lance smiled, "You're just not 19 here..." 

"God, I'm a baby in your reality..." Hunk mumbled 

"Next!" Matt practically yelled

"Shiro is our leader, he leads us with a smart and iron fist." 

"Do you help him lead?" Takashi asked

"No, we all can put input and give him ideas, but it's Shiro's final decision with what we do." 

"What's that like?"

"Well, Shiro is very straightforward. I hardly know anything about the guy other than what was rumored around the Garrison. He's my hero and all, but he was never open at the Garrison. I only knew about his records and how amazing of a pilot he was and still is. He bottles everything up usually, and then goes to the training room to beat out his emotions. I think since L.S. joined he's been talking them out, but I'm not like, 100% on that. Just hearsay." 

"L.S., that's my husband right?" 

"Yeah, I thought it would get confusing calling him Lance and or Shirogane, so I used a middle point and used his initials." 

"Smart," Matt commented, "What about me?" 

"Well, we technically haven't found you yet. Pidge has been getting a bunch of information about where you are and stuff like that, but you're still MIA. It was actually some information of you that almost got us killed the other day, man, L.S. was not happy that we didn't listen to him."

"What do you mean?" Takashi questioned with tightly knit brows

"Well, Shiro wanted to prove himself a better leader than L.S.. They've been butting heads ever since L.S. arrived, and Shiro didn't like to be told that his battle plans weren't good. So, when L.S. said that Arunk was a death trap and that we'd all die if we went, Shiro took his anger out and told us all to suit up and go to Arunk. If L.S. wasn't there all of us would've died. It was a mine-feild, literally. I'm surprised we got away with only scratches." Lance frowned thinking about how deep in a hole his Shiro must be with them trying to get him home. Lance looked up to Takashi when he started to hear hyperventilating and saw that Takashi's hand was cupped by Keith's and his back was being slowly rubbed. The whole team looked affected by Lance's little story. He just wanted them to know that Lance was a vital part in their team, and that Shiro could be an ass occasionally, but that's only when he butt's heads. 

"Takashi, breathe," Keith said 

"I am br-br-breathing, o-o-or trying to...." Takashi let a tear fall. Lance didn't know how to react, Shiro was never emotional. He would never cry. "He did so well...." Takashi sputtered

"I know," Keith tried to shoosh Takashi, soothe if you must. 

"W-We're all fine," Lance tired to berak the tension in the room. Kolivan placed a hand on Lance's head and Hunk placed a hand on his shoulder. 

"You couldn't have known," Hunk said in a hushed tone, "But Arunk is where Allura died." 

Lance froze. He looked to Takashi who was hugging onto Keith. Matt had stood and taken Ama into his arms and swayed back and forth. Lance had just reminded them that his universe had their Lance, the man that possibly could've saved Allura from dying and he brought it up. He forced Takashi to remember that his wife was dead and his husband was possibly out of reach and stuck in another universe for the rest of his life. Lance felt his stomach drop and his heart freeze just a little. Why did he have to bring that up? He thought that he was going to give encouragement that L.S. was doing good! And Takashi even commented that he believed that his husband was doing well for himself, but in the crossfire he brought up the loss of his wife. Hunk was right, he couldn't have known, but still... Lance felt like he had just resurfaced a horribly, half healed wound. 

 

* * *

 

Ronney sat beside Lance, happy as can be, scurrying around him and brading his short hair as he hummed. Ronney smelt heavily of Kolivan’s musk, something that wasn’t new to Lance but the strength that Rooney had doused himself in was slightly concerning. Ronney seemed really attached to Kolivan, as if he were another father to him, the cute thing was that Kolivan didn’t seem to mind having the tike climb him like a jungle gym nor perch himself on different limbs. However when Ronney then giggled and jumped off said limbs that’s when Kolivan did care. Ronney falling and getting hurt was not on the agenda.

So in pain and getting tired of saving the small boy from falling to his doom, Kolivan stuck him back with Lance in the cryo-room.

“Ama is with Takashi, right?” Lance asked looking around

“Right,” Matt smiled, “She’s taken a liking to you.”

“I do look like her father, it’s not a surprise to me--!” Lance gasped under his breath as Ronney pulled too hard at his hair for a second.

“That’s true, but I think she gets that you’re not.” Matt commented

“Why do you think that?”

“Well, it’s like with Ronney too. They get the same sense that you are _like_ their father, but they know that you’re not because you’re too small.”

“ _Small_?” Lance repeated a little hurt, but also in a teasing manor

“I-I mean… like, you’re young. Ronney treats you more like a surprise older brother than he ever did with his father. Braiding hair? Nah, Lance did that for Ronney. Humming and dancing? Lances job too. They are smarter than their age.”

“That’s what Tsuyoshi said earlier…” Lance smiled

“What did he say?” Hunk perked up

“He told me a story about Ronney being punished and somehow getting out of the sight of a rover for--" Lance paused and whispered, "C-a-k-e.”

“That was amazing,” Matt laughed and then defended when Hunk ‘humphed’, “He got away from a drone locked onto his DNA code. That’s intelligence at it’s finest!”

“What else would you expect from my son?”

Takashi’s voice soothed it’s way through the cryo-room, the doors sounding after as if afraid to interrupt him.

“Hey, Takashi, what’s up?” Hunk asked not fazed at all, as if Takashi didn’t just materialize out of nowhere as they were talking about his children.

“Katie took Ama and banished me to help you guys,”

“She did what? Shouldn’t she be the one to help? No offense, Takashi,”

“Don’t worry, Hunk, her and Keith are working on something with Kolivan. I’m sure that I can at least do something, hold a panel, hand you a screwdriver… something,”

“Takashi,” Matt sighed, “Last time you tried to help us with something to do with the castle we were offline for hours. It felt like we were fighting Zarkon with an empty box. We couldn’t even get the lions out! Keith and Lance literally went drifting in space with their bayards and fists and fought the drones.”

“Woah!” Lance smiled, “Really?! That’s awesome!”

“And insanely stupid,” Takashi sighed. He looked to Lance who shrunk a little, “But yes, it was awesome.” Takashi smiled, “Like you’re hair by the way,”

“Oh?” Lance chuckled, “Ronney just started playing with it. Feels nostalgic having small hands play with my hair.”

“Have younger siblings or nieces and nephews?”

“Nieces and Nephews.” He confirmed, “I’m the baby of my family. I would watch them often, Alyssa would joke that I should open my own nursery, Grace would be the one to damn me with all her and Dante’s children. Like I get it, you two love each other, but 6 is enough!” Lance laughed and smiled as he remembered the faces of his family.

“Are you Cuban from your Earth too?”

“Half. But my dad will fight you on that. He’s from Florida and to him, and I quote, ‘It’s basically the same damn thing!’.” He laughed from his nose

“So, how did McClain become a thing then?" Takashi paused, "Like, no offense or anything, it's just not the... uhh... most Cuban last name I've heard"

“It's fine," Lance smiled, "I've heard it all before, trust me. Cubans can have white-ass name’s too. My family was kinda backwards, dad was a little darker skinned than mom and he wasn’t even from Cuba. He was just tanned because he worked outside a lot. Mom was the middle child so she was taking care of her family from the inside of the house, not really getting any sunlight.” Lance closed his eyes thinking about his parents, his brothers and sisters, “Mom was going to hyphenate her name, making all us children do the same, but she loved dad. So, she moved her last name to add a middle name and just took Dad’s white-ass last name. No matter how much she mocked him for it.” Lance looked to Takashi, “What was your husbands name before you guys tied the knot?”

“Well, his father took his mother’s last name. She had all sisters and he wanted the last name to continue. Sophie was so scared that her family name would stop after all the generations that they’d had and Jacobi agreed that his younger brothers can carry on the McClain name. Lance Jacobi Martin Paz DeLorose Fuentes is the man I married, he just moved everything over and added my last name to his name, just like your mother did.”

“That’s a mouthful of a name.”

“Yeah, it is.” Takashi radiated a smile, “It’s really fun to scold him though, he gave me props the first time I used his full name, though, he wasn’t happy I had to use it…”

“You really love him…”

“Of course I do,” Takashi looked to Lance confused and saw him bite his lower lip

“We’re going to get you back to your family, Lance.” Takashi called him by his name, which startled him and the other two in the room, “And not to get rid of you, because I wouldn’t complain if our universes merged and I could have the best of both worlds of seeing you grow into an amazing man _and_ having my husband by my side. But you need to get back to your family,”

“MATT!!” Hunk cursed under his breath and grabbed his wrist shaking his hand around

“What just happened?!” Takashi questioned startled, ready to jump into action

“I TOLD YOU--” Hunk let out a breath, “I got shocked. Matt sent a current through when I wasn't ready and he shocked me!”

Matt just stared at the cryopod and chuckled, “but it worked!!” the cryopod slowly hummed to life, the light, almost white-blue that they had been used to seeing everywhere slowly hued down to the teal blue which sang for Lance to come home.

“You--!” Lance stood, leaving Ronney to only latch onto his calf in hopes of keeping his balance.

“We fixed it, now all we have to do is send you home.”

“Wait,” Takashi said, concerned, “What if we send him but our Lance doesn't come back?”

“Is that a risk you’re willing to take?” Matt asked

“...” Takashi looked to Lance. The small body of the boy he grew to find a place in his heart for over these two weeks. He remembered what it was like to fall in love with his husband all those years ago, it was a guttural instinct to ask the boy out and he was so damn proud of it. Takashi knew that even if it wasn’t what was best for the team, it was best for this version of his husband. “Yes,” Takashi said placing a hand on top of Lance’s shoulder, “Let’s get Lance home.”

Lance beamed as he picked up Ronney, placed him in Takashi’s hands and almost sprinted to the cryopod. He settled in and felt a warm tug in his heart. Matt punched in a few numbers and the pod closed on his body. His eyes open as he witnessed the world warping around him. He appeared back home, the world still warping. Keith yelling at the pod and Slav standing beside Pidge who was nervously biting her fingernails. Lance wanted to move and twitched a finger.

Lance felt something go off. His eyes closed shut in worry and fear.

At the noise of the cryopod opening and the sound of a single sigh he opened his eyes. He knew… he didn't go anywhere.


	18. R is for Resistance

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Universe 'B'

It had been about Two weeks. However, if you asked Lance it had been 2 weeks, 3 days, 5 hours, 7 minutes and 19 seconds. 20. 21. 22. 23.... and so on, since Little Lance vanished into the cryopods and he had the taste of his family back in his arms. He can still remember the ghost feeling of everyone, the sound of their joy, the tears that were shed.

The crippling loneliness when he returned. 

 

* * *

* * *

 

_Lance convulsed. His entire body rejecting the scene that just played out. It was so good to be called his name by his husband. It was so good to feel his husbands lips on his own for even a second. It was so good to see Keith and Hunk and Takashi and Matt... but he just kept screaming for the one person he hadn't seen in a month and just learned he'll never see again._

_"ALLURA!"_

_He wanted to actually be able to say 'Goodbye' or 'I Love you' one last time, not the last memory of him being stabbed in the chest, passing out, and then vanishing._

_"NOOO!! ALLURA!!"  Lance covered his ears which began to ring and burn with rage. He had been such an idiot. He had been a fool, a fucking monster--in his mind. He had caused all of this. If he hadn't--_

_"L.S.??" Shiro burst into the room, Allura and everyone following. Lance just looked at them, the first time he's outright sobbed in front of them all. He couldn't control it. It felt as if a demon had possessed him and just forced his knees to be glued to the floor which he belonged on. He deserved to be chained and hidden away.... what kind of husband was he?_

_"She's.... gone... A-Allura," Lance hiccuped almost throwing up, " 's dead...."_

_"I'm fine--"_

_"NOT...not you.... my wife..." Lance said looking away, "She's dead, my wife and mother to my son.... poof... gone." Lance curled forward and hit his fists onto the floor of the Cryo-room._

_"How does he know that?" Keith whispered_

_"Because," Pidge shivered behind the screen, "he was just there..."_

_"What?!"_

_"Pidge, what do you mean?" Shiro asked_

_Pidge pointed to the screen._

_"The camera!" Lance cried, "Save the file, I need to see my husband again! Please, Pidge,"_

_"Okay... i-i-it's saved.." Pidge shook, again, an involuntary loop of shivers just dancing up and down her skin. "There was video for a bit, but the camera stopped after Ke-"_

_"Keith! He tackled me!" Lance gasped in the air trying to fill his lungs, "Please, let me see them, again!"_

_Pidge's hand moved on its own. She swiped her hand, rewinding the tape, and hit play. She moved herself to the background as Lance and the team watched the Camera. They watched Lance panic, and freak out. They watched Little Lance, their Lance, walk into the cryopod and vanish, they heard Pidge's concern and then, a dark room. A deep voice questioned Lance's existence, and that's when this whole predicament solidified for everyone._

_"H-Hunk..." Lance laughed as he covered his mouth._

_They watched Lance and Hunk hug. The small Alien on top of Hunk's head refer to Lance as 'Uncle Lance' and be as content as possible. They watched Lance sprint down the halls and heard him calling out for his husband. And like a slap to the face, they all saw him. They saw Takashi Shirogane from Lance's universe. They saw Lance's son sprint towards him screaming. They saw Matt holding a baby who had white hair. They saw Takashi and Lance kiss and sob. They heard Keith screaming and saw the tackle. Then they saw nothing. They only heard. Lance's whole team was there. They heard Lance's family tell him that his wife was dead, and saw Lance drop to the ground in front of the video. No one knew how to react as they kept listening. Then there was static._

_"She's gone... She's really gone... what have I done...?" Lance repeated over and over._

_"This is real," Keith's eyes widened, "WAIT! Where's Lance! Where's my boyfriend?"_

_Lance stood up slowly and rewound the video slightly to hear the confused voices of his husband and Keith. They questioned about a body in the cryopod._

_"Hear that? I... I think he's with my family... Instead of me..."_

_"Bring him back!" Keith grabbed Lance's collar and shoved him against the cryopod that stole his boyfriend from him._

_"I don't know how it even worked in the first place! He just walked in and then... I don't know. I wanted to go home, permanently, not for five seconds, learn my wife is dead all because I wanted to fight Zarkon and prove to my Wife and Husband that I mean something! But I didn't win. I didn't save my wife any agony, and Zarkon's basically won. He's going to go after my children and I'm not there to protect them, I'm not there to protect my family again. I'm going to lose everyone and everything that I've worked so hard for." Lance pushed Keith off of him, "I don't think I can bring him back. I don't even know if I can ever get the cryopod up again to even send me back..."_

 

* * *

* * *

 

Lance stayed in his room. Well, his makeshift room. He didn't even have any of his wife's things to hold and weep over. He only had the memory of her crying eyes as he was put into the cryopod, every other memory seemed to be overridden by that one memory at this moment. He couldn't even remember their first kiss, when Ronney was born, her snuggling with him, her finally accepting that she wasn't the ruler of everyone. He remembered nothing, but her iridescent pearl eyes trembling with worry and loyalty. Her breaking heart and pained wrinkles. Her trying to tell Ronney that he was going to be okay.

He watched the video on loop, Pidge putting it on a little drive. Hearing Takashi's voice over and over only made him want to claw at the wall and somehow force himself out of this hellish nightmare. Earlier in the second week, he even thought that it may be just that. A nightmare. He was still in the cryopod. He was just healing. He always had semi-realistic dreams when his body healed and this time because of the enormity of the wound, that's why this dream is so realistic.... but the one thing his cryo-dreams could never quite get right was Takashi's voice, and he heard it clearly...

So, this is very much reality. A reality in where he betrayed Allura. He betrayed Takashi. At this point... does he even deserve to go back home?

 

 

That's how his mind worked.

On the off day's during the 2 weeks, he occasionally was found in the bridge. He just watched the four Paladins and Allura go on small missions, making the best out of this terrible predicament. Lance just ghosted around, he didn't even want to ask Slav for help or phone the Blade. He had nothing. He had no one, and he wasn't even sure that he'd get home at this point all because he had to joke to his little self about finding something like him to go into the cryopod. He screwed his husband. What would Takashi even think of him now? Asking a small child to go into a cryopod just in case it incinerates him? That's totally not what happened, but who know's what message will be telephoned over there. Takashi was never the one to accept that Lance was evil, even though at this point Lance felt that there might be a universe where he is evil. With his current streak of fucking everything up... he wouldn't be surprised if he's worse than Zarkon. 

Honestly, if he could fuck it up this bad by accident, imagine the power he could have on purpose. That was his whole thing with Coran a while back. He had the anger, he had the information, so he destroyed him. He told Coran that he should just eject himself into space because he was about as useful as a grain of rice in a gallon of soup. He almost got Coran to kill himself all because he was angry that his husband was gone and he had no leads to get him back. He seriously could be the best villain, maybe even get Zarkon to tremble before him... Maybe Zarkon worked for him in this 'evil' other universe.

"Lance?" Hunk asked looking over at him. Today was one of the days that Lance was just pacing in the lounge and mumbling to himself. Like he was trying to speak incantations and make a spell to wish him back home. Hunk and Pidge were the only ones in the room, Pidge on her computer on the floor and Hunk knitting a small piece of clothing, maybe a new glove for Shiro?

Lance stopped pacing, "What? Am I mumbling again?"

"Louder," Pidgealmost glared

"Sorry..." Lance sighed

"You can't be serious about all of that?" 

"What did I even say? I thought I was in my head"

"About almost getting Coran to--" 

"Yeah," Lance cut him off, "That's true." Hunk's eyes widened. Lance kept talking as if to try for an excuse, "I told you guys that Coran and I aren't on the best of terms back home... I was alone, and felt like everyone was against me. Allura was getting on my nerves because she thought she was still the best thing since sliced bread even though everything she loved was gone and Coran had the audacity to come to me and tell me to 'lay off'. I got mad." Lance shivered at the memory:

 

> _"Lance, I would request that you simply 'lay off' on the Princess and I. We have been though a lot. We are stll trying to figure out--"_
> 
> _"Lay off?? Did Alfor 'lay off' when his wife screamed out in agonizing pain as he sucked the will out of her mind? Did you lay off when your husband sobbed putting you into the cryopod and having to launch the castle and die all so that **only** you and a royal can survive? Let me answer, no. No you fucking didn't. Just go shoot yourself out of the castle and die like the rest of your planet. Kill it all or the job ain't done, that's what the Garrison always said. It's your damn fault he's after us anyway, so if you just fucking disappeared then we'd be fine and dandy. Hang some clothing from a ceiling and choke, jump out of the castle, take my fucking bayard. Just... fuck... you know what to do."_
> 
> _"That is much uncalled for," Coran gasped_
> 
> _"You said you'd been though a lot. Well, tough shit. We're now part of a war thanks to the two of you. A was that started because of your race and will only end with the extinction of your race. So, if you're really sorry, kill yourself. Zarkon won't leave us alone if there are still Altean's living. The Princess could die, and he'd still be after us because of her weak ass advisor," Lance balled up his fist and, without thinking, punched Coran to the ground. "Everyone always has something to lose, even someone who has seemingly lost the world. You abandoned your husband, your planet, your king, and everyone else 10,000 years ago. Stop running away from your destiny, and die, Old man. Or there are plenty of other things for Zarkon to take from you."_
> 
> _"Lance, there you are-- Coran?!" Hunk ran towards them, "Lance what did you do? Coran, are you okay?"_
> 
> _"I did what had to be done, Hunk."_
> 
> _"Lance!" Hunk scolded_
> 
> _"I'm going back to the computer room. I have a theory that I want to run by Kolivan."_

 

"I was the picture of wrath that day. I was angry, hurt, and impatient. I've tried to apologize to him a thousand times over, but I'm never going to be able to make up for what I said to him. It was something that, now, I wouldn't even wish on Zarkon." 

"Was it really that bad?" Hunk asked, "I can't see you saying anything that would make Coran, of all people, want to die." 

"Hunk," Lance sighed, "I wasn't myself. When I say I could be a villain, I could. It's why I think that I'm here. You know like, uhhh... oh what was that movie called," Lance thought, "Freaky Friday, the one with Lindsay Lohan."

"But you and Lance didn't change minds," 

"No, worse, we changed realities." Lance sighed again, "I deserve to be taken from my family. All the hurt I've put them through and all the things that I've done. I pretty much killed my wife and might as well just grab my pen so I can sign my husband and children's death certificates."

"Lance, you made a mistake," Hunk pointed out, "and yeah, it was a cruel thing to say to Coran what you did." He leaned forward, "Everyone has their breaking point and everyone has things up their sleeves that can make life a living hell for everyone else. I remember whenever I had a meltdown at home that one of the other kids would say: 'be careful, or they'll send you back where you came from'. Life sucks, people say stupid stuff that they may or may not mean. It's how you carry yourself after, how you try to mend the relationship again, how you make yourself into a better person and build a life worth looking back into, that matters. People get divorced and stay friends, couples can blow up at each other but at the end of the day they're still a couple, families can say the rudest things and tear apart the family. Anything can happen, that's why it's called Life. That's why, and I quote, "Life may not be fair, but it's just,". You know who said that?" 

Lance couldn't look at Hunk. This 19-year-old boy was speaking wisdom to him that he never even thought of. He felt like a complete fool. "Who?" he asked, his voice cracking as he tried to stay calm

"My best friend Lance." Hunk smiled as Lance finally looked at him and they connected eyes. "My best bud has been through a lot of stuff that just ain't fair. His mom used to always say that "a Fair is where you get cotton candy". So no, life isn't going to be rides and the easy life or making friends with everyone and not making any enemies. Just, stand tall, and become the man that you think Coran would want to be around and glad to call you his friend. You can't change the past, no matter how stupid, no matter how much you struggled, there's nothing you can do about it other than learn from it." 

Lance covered his eyes as he crouched to the floor. He had nightmares before of what he had said to Coran. He even lied to Allura and Takashi once or twice when he woke up screaming because of them. He told his partners that it was a war nightmare. Takashi didn't even know what the hell happened, he only knew the repercussions of it all. All Lance had ever wanted after getting Takashi back was mending his relationship with Coran, but it seemed so impossible since Coran was like a ghost on the ship. He avoided Lance, obviously hurt and not sure how to talk to him anymore. 

"Thanks, Hunk..." Lance smiled, "You seem to be the voice of reason everywhere," 

"I'd be careful with what you say, who knows, maybe I'm your evil advisor in that 'evil' dimension? I could be the worst of us all!" Hunk somewhat mocked

"They do say the bigger they are the harder they fall," Pidge interveined

"HEY!! Is that a fat joke?!" Hunk and Pidge laughed in unison

The doors to the lounge opened and Keith walked in, "There you are, L.S." 

"You've been looking for me?" 

"Yeah, Lance usually spars with me. I asked Shiro if he wanted to but he just ignored me and stayed with Allura making plans for our next rescue mission." 

"Okay?" 

"I'm asking if you want to join?" 

"OOOOOOOooooo" Pidge cooed from behind her computer, "Keith rarely asks anyone else to spar with him," 

"What a high praise," Hunk commented, "What's the special occasion, Keith?" 

"Will you two quit it!" Keith lightly blushed

"I would be honored," Lance mocked bowed

"Screw it," Keith turned and marched out of the room, stomping his feet as he left

"Keith, wait!" Lance jogged after him, catching up easily. "Why'd you ask though, I thought you hated me." 

"I don't hate you," Keith pouted. "Plus, my boyfriend is MIA and you're the only one on this ship who knows the type of people he's stuck with. I just wanted to spar and talk..." 

"Huh," Lance smiled

"What?" 

"Nothing at all." Lance smiled, Keith just acted way more vulnerable than Lance was used to this Keith holding himself. It was refreshing to know that the normally stoic 'hot head' could be like his best friend... but Lance had to remember that Keith here didn't like talking about feelings. So, Lance acted accordingly, "I'm just thinking of how I'm going to wipe the floor with you! If I can pin Shiro in three moves I can totally do you in less!" 

"Oh?" Keith looked up at him, a small fire lit in his eyes

That's right. The rivalry. 

"Bring it on! Whoever wins gets bragging rights." 

"What about the loser?" 

"Hmmm," Lance looked to Keith, "Shakespearean-ly confess to Hunk that they love him." 

"You can do that easily, that's not a challenge!" Keith protested as he slightly shoved Lance

"Fine, fine. How about we decide when we see just who loses," Lance looped his arm around Keith's shoulder. Yes. Something to cheer him up and clear his mind, why didn't he just start this week off like this?! Punching things instead of the waterworks always worked. Lance shook his head, all his bad habits are from his husband. 

"I-If you want to talk about Allura with me you can..." Keith offered, "I know how it feels to lose someone close to you,"

"Thanks, I might just take you up on that offer."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Now we know what Lance said to Coran!! Oh, my soul, this chapter was such a wild ride, I hope you all like it!
> 
> Next chapter we get some Keith and Lance bonding! Wonder what they'll talk about? Who will win their training exercise? 
> 
> The next Chapter should be up around Wednesday!


	19. S is for Stability

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Universe 'B'

To say that Keith is a good fighter would be an understatement. Keith knew how to wield more than just a knife. He has amazing instant thinking, not exactly the best route to take, but his decision making is practically instant. To keep up with him Lance has to channel his Keith. He has to remember how he had to be jumping around like a monkey and letting sparks fly. He forgot how great it felt to fight with someone else who literally didn't care if they got cut in training or if they cut someone else. Lance's adrenaline was through the roof. 

"What's on your mind, old man?" Keith goaded, "you're slowing down"

They had been at it for about 5 hours now. Taking a few breaks in between to hydrate and talk as they caught their breath. Lance never thought that going to Keith would be this refreshing. He even got to talk to him about Allura, and he learned something about this Keith:

 

 

_Their chests rose and fell as they stood by the wall drinking in the water substitution that Coran had left for them. Keith had made a point to not bring anything up that might be a potential threat of bringing up bad memories for Lance. But Keith also knew Lance too well. So he asked,_

_"If you want, we can talk now.... about... Allura."_

_Lance looked at Keith, a brow raised as he moved his hydration pouch from his lips, "It's alright. I've dealt with it already."_

_"Is that why you agreed to spar with me?"_

_"I like sparing, and after flooring Shiro no one wants to even think about battling me. Plus, my moods haven't been that constant. I'm going to blame the air or something."_

_"Lance, you can talk with me. I'm not the best at advice like Shiro, I can't fix everything with a warm hug and guidance like Hunk, and I'm not Pidge by any stretch of the imagination. But I got two ears and I used them every night to listen to you... uh--I mean..."_

_"I know what you mean..." Lance smiled. Keith got mad enough to call him 'Lance'. None of the team had really done that yet because the first time they did their little Lance twitched. He seemed to be working some things out. Lance leaned against the wall and slid down, ushering Keith to follow him so he didn't feel like he was being looked down upon. He took a breath, "_ _I just can't believe that she's gone..."_

_"What was she like? You never really talked about her other than that first fight you guys had."_

_"Amazing." Lance smiled, "I always had to fight her to keep her hair long. When she was pregnant with Ronney and she got heat flashes she always hated her hair. She almost demanded that I cut it. She would comment on how short everyone else's hair was, so Hunk started growing it out to help Allura feel more comfortable, but Keith complained. He liked Hunk with shorter hair. He made a gross comment that I really wish I didn't just remember." Lance smiled. "When we got on the ship, and after I got her to see that she was more than just a tyrant... we were cuddling looking for Takashi, she was mumbling something as she curled into me. Her heal it a button on the chair and up comes a hologram of her father." Lance frowned a little "It was weird and freaky. But he came clean. He didn't wish everything on Altea that be brought. He was only looking for a better world to live in. In the process, he killed his wife and almost killed Allura. He kept saying 'my only daughter', I asked her the sentiment in that, because it was weird to hear it. She told me that she had several older brothers. All who died in battle fighting for their father's vision. We learned a lot about the old Altea that day, she wept and we even shared our first kiss."  Lance looked to Keith, "You know, right when Takashi told me she was gone, the only thing I could think of was the face she gave me when I was stabbed." Lance touched over his scar as he took in a slow breath trying to calm himself down. "I couldn't even remember the joy of my son being born or our wedding or any of these memories I'm sharing with you."_

_"Do..." Keith thought for a second. Melding the words he wanted to question, "Do you regret going up against Zarkon?"_

_"Of course, but only now that I know the consequences. If nothing had happened, and I woke up back home with my wife and Takashi waiting for me I would regret nothing." Lance looked over to Keith, "You said earlier that you understood, what did you mean by that?"_

_"When I was young, like young enough that I don't even remember what she looks like, my mom left. I wasn't old enough to really feel sorrow, but seeing my dad spiral, trying to find a way for him to get her back. That was hard. Then one day, I went home, telling Dad that Shiro had just left for Kerberos. I was so happy, glowing even. And Dad was gone. I had a note that he left. I still have it back on Earth. I know it's not the same as losing a partner, but--"_

_"It still hurts like hell." Lance placed his hand on Keith's shoulder, as he'd seen Shiro do a thousand times by now, "If it's any consolation, you remind me of him,"_

_"Your Keith?"_

_"That's obvious, but I mean your father. Back in my universe, I got to meet him. Keith and I met at a younger age. We camped out at his house whenever Hunk wanted an excuse to go see him. He even thought that we were coming over because I had a thing for you, but no one knew that even back then I had a thing for Takashi."_

_"When did you know? Th-That he was the one?"_

_"Normally people say 'the second I saw him' or something cheesy like that. Truly, I didn't know right off the bat. He started flirting with me the second we met, which with all the stories I heard about the ever stoic Takashi Shirogane, I was shocked. Happy, even told him it sounded like a dream."_

_"Yeah, that doesn't sound like him."_

_"Right!" Lance laughed "I thought he just wanted 'new meat'. He did just get dumped, by a mystery guy, and I thought that he just needed a groping buddy."_

_"What did you do?"_

_"Well, let's just say I wasn't really known at the Garrison for being a virgin." Lance snickered. "However, I knew the repercussions it would have for Takashi, the whole student-professor thing, so I denied. I even tried to pretend to be straight, ha! He saw right through that, especially with how handsy some of my classmates were with me. Iverson then put him in charge of me, and one night he summoned me to his office. I thought I was going to get expelled."_

_"Why?"_

_"Oh! I'm jumping all over the place, sorry," Lance scratched the back of his head, "I failed the simulation really hard the day before, and almost broke it and myself. Iverson had turned up the hardness to 100% just to get me to fail because he hated my family. I still haven't cracked that yet. Anyway, so I went to his office and he was very coarse with me. He treated me like a student. Then, and I know this is going to sound like the most ridiculous thing you've ever heard, but he used my full name. All of it. He full named me he was so angry. I was shocked, to say the least. That's when I knew. No one had ever been so mad, and not be related, to use my full name. His pronunciations were on point and he sounded almost like a native. I wasn't pleased that he had to full name me... But hearing it, hearing the love, care, and concern. The tenderness in his voice, that's when I knew that he was the one." Lance stood and stretched out his hand, offering to help Keith up, "What about you? How did you know that this Lance was the one? To my knowledge of you, you don't date unless you see a future with said person."_

_"Right... I just." Keith sighed as he grabbed his sword from leaning up against the wall, "Lance just made me angry. Like all the time. He dangled the rivalry above my head and one day I just lost it. I was so boiling that I actually threatened to leave the team to make a point to him. That's when I slipped... I said 'I'd be easier to leave if I didn't like you!'." Keith chuckled "I always assumed he knew how I felt, I mean, for everyone else I wasn't really subtle, but after a while, I thought he hated me because I was the only openly gay man in the Garrison, and I was a better pilot at the time. We had a deep conversation. That's when we both realized how much we really meant to each other. After a heated make-out session and Lance getting handsy, one thing lead to another and we become a couple." Keith blushed that he added in the color to their story, not really having shared that with anyone else on the team. He cleared his throat and stood, "_ _He still holds the rivalry over my head as a sort of fire to us. It can get obnoxious, but I'd be lying to say that I don't enjoy how much it riles me up." Keith smiled and then pointed his sword towards Lance, "Round 3?"_

_"Bring it!"_

 

 

Lance blocked Keith's lunge to the middle of his chest, "I'm trying to figure out what 'winning' means to you, and I'm afraid that means the cryopod at this point."

"Of course,"

"They'll kill me if I put you in the cryopod, especially Shiro! He'll swear left and right that I'm evil and there will be a whole scandal as you sleep calmly." 

"Oh? So does that mean, it's my win?" Keith let down his guard

"Nah, I just have to pin you for long enough so that you give up." 

"Unlikely," 

"We'll just see~" Lance lurched towards Keith, weapon in hand. He was kind of happy Keith gave him a fair fight and a fight in general. All this anger towards himself he was able to take out on a very skilled fighter that he didn't have to worry too much about holding back. He had to hold back, like that was obvious, but not as much as he thought he'd have to. Maybe his Keith has grown soft, or worse!! He was going easy on him while training him! That traitor, going easy on Lance!! He'll have to lecture him when he get's home.

Their swords clashed and clanged against each other, sparks flying. If any type of wood was nearby Lance would put money down that they'd have a nice bonfire by now. 

"Will you two stop for supper, or are you going to yell at me again?" 

"Food?" Lance asked as he looked up to the observation room at Pidge's voice. He felt a tingle of hair on the back of his neck and ducked, get realized Keith aimed at his head, "HEY!! THAT COULD'VE KILLED ME!" 

"You dodged it though," Keith's lips quirked up into a smug grin. He thrust his sword again

"Come on, we should go eat," Lance dodged, "It's already supper," 

"Are you giving up?" Keith quirked a brow

"Pausing? Like, for more than a breath and hydration. Is that a thing for you?" 

"Keith," Shiro's voice came over the intercom

"Fine. Pausing for now." 

Lance let out a sigh. How long have they been at it? He honestly forgot how good it was to spar with Keith, his reckless attacks and deadly blows, every bit of adrenaline that pumped through him was to keep him alive in only a training. Seems Keith's the one to spar with in this universe. 

The two grabbed towels and began walking towards the dining room

"When we go back I'll stop going easy on you," 

"Bull shit! You were not going easy on me!" Lance bickered back

"I guess you'll find out when we go back," Keith taunted

"Oh, you are on!" 

"You both aren't in pieces!" Hunk ran towards them, the dining room door right behind him

"Hey, Hunk," 

"Don't 'hey, Hunk' me! We were really worried one of you would kill the other one!"

"Keith was apparently going easy on me, so we'll see if I get put into the cryopod later on today--" 

"No, you two aren't going back!" Hunk ushered them into the dining room and had them sit down. Lance sat beside Keith, mainly because that's where Hunk guided him too, but also because Keith seemed to not mind him sitting beside him. Shiro and Allura entered into the room and the banter started as soon as Hunk walked up to Shiro and smiled bright enough to blind the team. Pidge was mainly the one to bother the two, Keith subtly adding in his own banter under his breath. Lance felt weird trying to think of ways to join in the banter. 

It would be refreshing to make Shiro blush, but Lance decided against it. This wasn't his place to do so, he just listened to Keith's under breath comments and Pidge's loud banter. She was simply just acting how a younger sister would act if her brother came home with another man and introduced him. Which is kind of what happened with Shiro and Hunk, but rather also nothing like that at all? 

"Lance, what are you doing after this?" Hunk asked across the table

"Why? We going on a date?" Lance joked back

"No!" Hunk flailed his hands up

"Hunk, it's a joke," Lance reassured, "Keith want's to continue our training,"

"You two almost killed each other several times!" Hunk began to complain, "Especially when Keith had you pinned and aimed for your head!" 

"First of all, that was Round 2. We were still learning each other's moves. Also, I got him off and fought back." Lance tried to calm Hunk down, "Plus, it's good to be training. Get's me out of my own head when Keith is trying to kill me."

"Why not contact Slav?" Allura commented, her apparently already in the room and sitting down at the head of the table

"What?" 

"He's in the Fraylan sector, a hyperjump away. He could help with the--" 

"No." Lance put his hand up as if to stop her from continuing on this topic

"Why not?" 

"Antok said they were on a mission, which means he's probably with Bean, and I'm not talking to Slav while he's around Bean. I don't need that..."

"Who, or what, is Bean?" Keith asked

"You guys haven't met Bean?" Lance looked around the table

"No..." 

"The Lucky few..." Lance cracked his neck a little, "He's Slav's brother...I guess? He's just like Slav, except he's like the tactical version of him. So, everything and anything can turn into a way to start a war. Like: Oh, you want coffee, did you know that The Gwak Clan in the Juniper Galaxy considers Earth Coffee Beans as a form of poison?!! _WAR_!" Lance mocked Bean. His happy attitude already dissipating, "Bean is like Slav's hype man, makes them both borderline intolerable. So, unless you guys want a really frustrating adventure, I'd say no."

 

 

Let's just say. "I'd say no" didn't fly too well with Allura.

 

 

 

"Otherworlder, over here," Slav grabbed Lance's wrist and almost dragged him to the other side of the cryopod.

Lance never forgot the inter-dimensional joys of the wonder called Slav. The mumbling, the talks, the muttering, and the just.... shrimp aspect of him. The view, however, is complete gold. Lance finally not being on the reciving side of Shiro's aggravation, instead it being fully thrusted towards Slav. Hunk has his work cut out for him.

Antok had brought this... utter joy to the castle about an hour ago, if that, and Lance was already tripping over him and cursing him out. Just as Lance had suspected, Bean was brought on board, and everyone wished that they could go back in time and stop Allura from having Lance contact Antok and Slav. Bean was, well, a handful.

"Slav, can you not?" Lance asked

"There is no way to 'not' otherworlder. Antok stated that he was to drop me off--" 

"Blah blah blah, I got it. You're going to be here for a while." Lance mumbled back. "But does Bean have to be here to?"

"I was going to leave him with Antok, but he was worried about your being here. It is deadly."

"If Zarkon knew that interdimensional travel was this easy the war would be spread throughout many a reality!" Bean screamed. Bean, unlike Slav, is the color of red hot dogs, back on earth. Not quite red, but more like a child was trying to make red out of paints and added brown to the mix out of curiosity. Same size, same species, but a slightly different accent. Lance wanted to describe it as a more angry and Militaristic tone to it, where Slav's sounded more slightly calming and diplomatic. 

"Yeah, Yeah." Lance sighed, "I think we're almost done, so I'll be out of your hair shortly." 

"You really think so?" Shiro asked from the door

"Yeah. Slav seems to think so and he's usually right in my universe." Lance then glared, "And why are you way over there OR here in general?" 

"I don't want you suffering on your own, plus, I've lost my cool with Slav before." Shiro tried to smile, "I know how aggravating his theories and percentages can be." 

"Back home he usually mumbles them to himself unless they are pertinent. Your Slav is a lot more.... uhh... what's the word... What's the English equivalent of _Tchalan't_?"

"..." Shiro just stared at Lance

"Slav--" 

"Extra voice? Is that the word you are looking for?" Bean questioned

"Vocal!" Lance shouted, "He's more vocal here. Wow, I haven't had a brain fart like that in a while," He laughed to himself

"I think we have got it!" Slav cheered, clapping one set of his hands together. 

"Really?!" Lance stood up and looked over the computer. "Shiro, I think we did it, call the team. I might just be going home!" 


	20. T is for Tender

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Universe 'A'

Lance walked out of the cryopod and looked to Takashi. He looked to Hunk and Matt as well, knowing that their faces were downcast. Everyone wanted this to be over. Everyone wanted for their universe to be back to normal. Is that too much to ask for?!

"Sorry..." Lance sighed

"Don't worry, everything will be fine. We will get it someday." 

"But what if it's not for years! What If I'm stuck here until I'm old and wrinkly?!" Lance stomped his foot like he was a child and crossed his arms to mock what Ronney would do if he didn't get to go to another reality. Lance let out a sigh and looked to Takashi who gave Lance the most reassuring smile. Lance felt like Takashi needed to teach Shiro how to do that... or maybe Keith. Yeah. Keith would look damn near irresistible with that smile on his face.

An electrical current surged through the castle, just small sparks shocking the group slightly. Nothing too dangerous. Out of nowhere, the castle erupted with winds, gusts that smelt of salt and that ever so distinguashable scent of seaweed assaulted his nose. Lance turned around in circles trying to understand what the hell was going on. 

Lance fell to the ground, his head spinning and his body feeling like he usually did when he'd run after his nephews and nieces. But this was more of an 'I've been through a storm' type of feeling. Lance sat up, thinking that he had a small idea what Dorthy felt in that tornado. Lance closed his eyes and just took in the scent. The sharp salt and undertwinge that tickled his nose hairs. Ah, yes, seaweed. He smiled, a small picture painted in his head of his eldest brother handing him a hot dog in a bun.

 

_"Sorry, Lance, David tripped me and I kinda dropped it in the sand..."_

 

 

Lance wanted to laugh out loud for remembering the pure sorrow that was on his brothers face from just dropping a hot dog on the sand. It's not like Lance hadn't consumed enough sand running after the smaller children and tripping so hard he could swear there were a few perfect implants of his face on the sandy beach by his home. The salty mixture of the waves came crashing into his memory. He could really only think of the several times he was down in the dumps and Keith held him like he was a gem, but also as if he were a feral cat trying to escape. Tight, but loved. Lance found out real quick that Keith is a sap. He's romantic as hell, but it's more of a blunt, underhanded, not meaning to be romantic but he just 'spreads the facts'. Lance remembered, just from that hint of salt, and the slight echo of waves reverberating in his mind, of the night he almost lost it. 

He paced in his room for two hours before he even thought about going to Keith for comfort, or even another point of view. Was he crazy? He was hearing things, right? But Before Lance even convinced himself Keith came knocking at his door. His 'Lance is panicking, go over with blankets and force him into bed'-senses were tingling, or so Keith said. Keith literally dragged Lance to bed and covered the two with his thick ass plush comforter which is literally on the border of too soft, but it's not quite over. He held Lance to his chest, and without a word, he began to pet Lance's hair. Lance broke down. Screaming and crying. That night Lance confided in Keith, his face smooshed into Keith's chest. 

 

_"I lived in the desert for so long, but when I look into your eyes, I feel like the ocean is my home."_

 

Keith is poetic like that. Lance would put a note in the back of his brain to ransack Keith's shack to look for poetry books. More likely to have those than dirty magazines. 

Lance felt a tear fall from his eyes. A sliver of his soul cascading over his cheek and falling to it's puddled doom as soon as it left his chin. He didn't bother to wipe it off. He needed that one tear. He needed this nostalgic scent. Memories he was too afraid to look back on, he just didn't want to miss home so much. Lance stood, shaking his head, knowing that the scent wasn't actually in the castle but thanked whatever power gave him that spill of a scent. 

 

"Lance?" 

Lance turned around, to the voice which wielded his name with more authority than he cared to give a single tone. He turned, and there he was back to the castle looking to Takashi. But Takashi wasn't looking at him, instead, he was looking past Lance to the pod. Lance turned and saw a horror show. It must've been what L.S. looked like when they put him in the pod when he got injured. A large bloody stab wound, taking up more than half of his torso. Lance wanted to slap his alternate reality self, but at the same time, seeing who his family is (and knowing himself) he understood why he went after Zarkon. L.S. was in the pod, no heartbeat, and no sign of any life. Past either. His armor, only the black under suite for some reason, was very much clinging to the wound as if to protect it. 

As soon as Lance appeared and everyone got to relive, or live, the experience of seeing their beloved in that state, he disappeared. Takashi let out a sigh of release. He did have to see his husband like that again, but it was a small blessing Keith nor Katie were there to see it. It was hard on them the first time, Keith blatantly blaming himself and Katie cursing out her brother figure for doing such a dumb thing. 

"Why did that just happen?" Lance asked

"I think...." Matt let out a breath and put his hand on the pod, "I think he attempted to come back, but we were a little too late..."

"Are you saying we missed our window?!" Hunk exasperated, "That our Lance was trying to come back not even a minute after Lance came out?!" 

"I'm not sure, Hunk..." Matt seemed to not want to look away from the pod, his eyes so fixated on the curvature of the inside. Trying to memorize every aspect of it, find a fault that they could tweak to get Lance back. 

Lance let out a sigh. L.S. was so close to coming home. He was right there, wounded but he was there. Lance opened his mouth to say something. His lips just separating from each other. He brought in a hot gasp of air, and felt slightly light headed? Lance looked to Hunk who seemed to notice the same thing. Hunk shrugged and was about to inquire something, showing in his brows practically knitting together. However, the door to the cryopod room flew open and Keith ran in, looking like he was about to puke. His hand covering his mouth and his legs wobbly and uncentered.

"Keith?" Hunk ran up to his husband and held him steady. "What's going on?" 

Just as Hunk asked, everyone, felt the same thing. Like they were popcorn in a microwave. They each felt their feet leave the ground but if they moved to even look they might just explode. Oh, what fun it would be to clean Paladin off the inside of the castle. The air in the castle became stale and foggy. Keith swore that it felt like that one time they all celebrated becoming one of the three top teams in the Garrison and they all were WAY too drunk for their ages. Let's just say 20 jello shots didn't even compare to the craze that they had back then. Matt tried to look around and did so as slowly as he could so that he wouldn't throw up. Every time he focused on something he felt it pull away, mush, and cave in. The glass that held the castle strong and stiff was as fluid as his gender years ago. The stars outside seemed to meld with them. Shooting and moving to different destinations, forming new constellations. They each felt like their limbs were being stretched to the utmost limits, like their bodies were being burned and then reformed. They were phoenix's, for but a moment, then they were the pray being consumed by such a magnificent bird. 

Lance felt his body twist and turn. It almost felt like the first time Blue took the team through the wormhole. He was himself, but the very fabric of space unwound in front of him and he began to question everything. He began to even question if his own body was his body. If the ocean was blue. If the sky was really a cascade of colors and the sun felt blue the most divine so it spread out that single color, hueing it to every variation to present Blue's beauty. He wondered life. 

Then, everything stopped. 

The castle dropped them back to the ground. Takashi tried his best to turn his body so he didn't fall on poor Ronney who was screaming in pain which he was too shocked to scream about in the moment. Hunk puked the second he hit the ground and then looked to Keith to make sure he was alright. Matt gave up trying to grab for the invisible metal bar in the air to make his descent slightly more graceful. Lance just stared at the ground, his stomach flat against the surface and his mouth agape with words he wished he could speak, but there was subtle fear that he'd throw up. 

"What the hell was that?" Hunk grumbled, careful to not hurl again

"I don't know," Matt said holding his head. 

However, the fun was not over. 

The castle, alone, began to pilot itself. Changing direction very roughly. Moving one direction and then hip bumping the paladins to the other side of the ship. The door didn't open fast enough and poor Keith was smashed against the door like a hockey puck against the goal post. The five of them tried their best to make it to the bridge, Takashi watching over Lance and Ronney. Holding the two close. Somehow, they all made it and entered into the bridge where they knew at least Coran was.

"Man, now I know how clothes feel going through the drier..." Hunk said, trying his damnedest to hold in his vomit again. 

"Coran, what is going on?" Takashi asked, strapping Ronney into the blue paladin chair

"It looks like there is a rift in space, that is all I can explain it as. We hit it, or it hit us, and we are being melded." 

"Can we do anything?" 

"I do not know!" Coran said worried as the castle then jostled him forward to the window and up to the ceiling like a racquetball. 

"Can the castle, like, just stop for a second?!" Keith muttered, his food catching in his throat.

"Katie," Takashi called over the coms, "Are you and the kids alright?" 

"Define--" Katie cut out for a second, "--yoshi's bouncing off the walls saying something about Spider-Man and Ama is laughing her ass off." 

"So, you're okay?" 

"We're alive, that's all that matters. Tsuyoshi may have broken something when he hit his arm on the door panel, but I think he's fine."

"Try to get to the bridge if you can, if not stay put until this all stops," Takashi waited for the castle to jostle him towards the computers and then put in a different set of gravity density. He wasn't sure how he knew the numbers, but he just felt it. 

Again, the castle ceased and everyone fell to the ground. 

"Here it comes," Keith turned and puked, "I'll---clean it later--" He kept throwing up. 

Hunk looked to the window, about to ask Coran what the hell just happened, but Coran was too busy staring at the curious site which greeted them all. 

"WHAT IS THAT?!" Hunk screamed in terror, him wanting to puke vanishing.

"Is that--" Lance beamed and let out a laugh of pure joy. He even jumped and clapped his hands in a semi-sort of victory. "--ANOTHER CASTLE?!"

Takashi walked over to where the three were and looked at what, indeed, looked like another Castle of lions.  The hue of the castle was not the glowing white that they had changed it to, but instead a teal blue color. Like the color that they had when they first got on the ship. The castle also looked a little smaller than what they assumed their ship looked like. Takashi shivered, afraid of what this could mean. The door behind them opened as Katie joined them with the kids, "What the hell is going on?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We're 6 chapters away from the end T.T! I'm thinking of making a book 2 (and 3), was wondering what you guys would be looking for if I did. Do you want the story of Takashi and Lance dating at the Garrison and all of that, or would you rather something else? Like them actually talking to their family VIA video chat (one shot?), or after Zarkon and returning to their family and showing off Ama and Ronney? Just throwing out ideas. If y'all don't want a second book, also tell me that! Thanks so much for reading!


	21. U is for Ubiquitous

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Universe 'A'?

Lance felt like he was the only one excited to see another castle. He jumped up and down and rambled about something like the castle felt familiar in some sort of sense. Takashi's eye twitched as only a high pitched rinning was entering into his ear canal. He was terrified what this could mean. Did they break reality? Is there something that they are going to pay for? Slav had mumbled theories about what this meant, which only led to both realities ceasing to exist. Takashi couldn't handle that. 

"Why is there another Castle of Lions?!" Takashi heard Keith's panic in the background of Lance's excitement, "It's so small, and a different color! What does this mean?!" 

"It looks like--" Lance tried to talk, but the team seemed to talk amongst themselves ignoring. It's not that they thought less of him, but he's not really known to have knowledge about inter-reality travel. 

"I don't know, Keith," Hunk interjected, "This is all just weird... Lance leaves mysteriously, comes back, we get a younger version of him, and now we're looking at another spaceship?" 

"Slav predicted it a few times over chat, remember?" Matt commented, "Like right after Lance left, that the realities could combine."

"Not possible!" Keith pointed to the castle

"There is a small possibility..." Matt mumbled to himself. A bell notification sound rang through the castle.

"W-We got a message!" Coran laughed, "looks like the mock castle sent us a message:

_We are boarding. Open. Five of us. Your leader and underlings. There is no discussion."_

"Well, they sound lovely." Hunk chuckled

"Well, this is going to be fun... Let them, board. Suit up." Takashi said, "Be on alert." He turned to the miniature version of his husband, "You're staying up here with Ronney," 

"What if that's my family--" 

"The likelihood of that is--"

"Actually decent." Matt interrupted. He looked to Takashi with eyes that could only read that he was almost positive that it was Lance's family but that Takashi didn't want to risk the very small percentage that it wasn't.

"Matt..." Takashi sighed. He didn't want this to be Lance's family for a few reasons of his own. But that was only slight fear of what this Lance's version of his family would do to them. Takashi wasn't sure that Lance's stories were dramatized or not. Apparently, Keith had almost died enough times for Lance to have one grey hair on the back of his head. Flying through asteroid belts alone, leaving the team to go with the Blade for a while and almost dying several times 'for the mission', sneaking into Zarkons Chambers to poison his everything and almost getting caught, chocking Prince Lotor after he laid a finger on the Princess, and several other things that Lance actually seemed proud of. If that's so, and they're so young..... Takashi could admit that he was slightly scared of such a wild version of Keith. But on the other hand, if this was Lance's family that means that they had his husband on board. That  _his_ Lance was waiting to meet him and embrace him. He could only hope that his husband was there, and for now, that was going to be his hearts saving grace. "Alright, you can come down with us. We don't have a suite that fits you, so, assuming it's your family, we'll all go down unarmored." 

"Not the smartest idea, but we don't want to seem like stone cold bitc--people to them." Katie laughed

"Agreed," Hunk let out a hearty laugh. He turned towards his husband and gave him a slight smooch, "I can't wait to see that Mullet again~" 

"Oh, my god! NOO!" Keith smiled wide and complained, "I never want to see that thing again!" 

"If it's my family you'll see it!" 

"Please," Keith placed his hands together in a prayer. "if there is a God out there, I will not be seeing that horrid thing that I excused as a haircut."

 

* * *

 

Takashi, Hunk, Keith, Katie, Matt, and young Lance stood in the docking bay waiting for the small pod to land. The pod had two in the front of the obscure craft which Katie had upgraded to a more aerodynamic ship, but these people seemed to appreciate the original mechanical sculpting of the ship. The two in the front looked to be the Black and Yellow Paladin, both of which were just talking and seemingly ignoring the group in front of them. 

"We'll protect you, Lance, don't worry." Takashi placed himself slightly in front of Lance as if he were protecting Ronney, who was safely with Tsuyoshi, Ama, and Coran. Takashi took in a breath as the two stood in the pod and walked into the back, a small door opening. 

Matt held onto Katie. They all knew that if these were really versions of them that they wouldn't be hostile, but there was still that subtle fear that something was going to go wrong or there was going to a misunderstanding. The castle turned the ship 180 degrees to show the rear loading door. 

"My heart is beating so fast," Hunk chuckled as he held Keith closer to him and placed his hand on his shoulder. 

The pod slowly opened. It felt like pheobs went by just waiting for the damn thing to open and show a single person walking out. A small body stopped star-struck about twelve feet in front of the group. The boy went to say something, or comment offhandedly about their appearance, or really anything, as his mouth opened and closed repeatedly. But his eyes landed on the one person everyone, even an outsider would know didn't belong here. 

"Lance!" the boy yelled, hoping that this wasn't some trick

"KEITH!" Lance sprinted around Takashi, he was glad he wasn't holding Ronney, or taking care of Ama at the time. He sprinted and crashed into Keith, well Mini Keith. He moved slightly, spinning Lance around a few times to bring the momentum that Lance had got down a little so that they wouldn't be in so much pain. 

"L.S. said that you'd be in good hands," Mini Keith smiled and let out a little half laugh. 

"That's so cute!!" Hunk squeaked, "Look at him!" 

" _The Mullet..."_

Lance ignored the larger versions of his family as he babbled to Keith and left butterfly kisses all over his face, "Dude, I feel so touch starved!" Lance slumped

" _Dude,_ " Mini Keith mocked, "It has been, like, three weeks." 

"Is that Lance?" The team watched as miniature versions of all of them seemed to pour out of the pod. A small Hunk, bouncing as he and a miniature Takashi ran out holding hands and crashing into the two lovebirds. They were indeed the two who piloted the craft into the docking bay, but holding hands? Hunk looked to Takashi and raised his brows a few times.

" _Hunk_ ," Takashi mumbled to hush him

A very miniature Katie walking out smiling, she connected eyes with Matt and smiled painfully. 

"We're here!!" A boisterous voice called, "I told you guys!" One last person walked out of the ship. He stood, tall. His deep caramel-coffee skin glistened back to life in the lights which he remembered. His sky blue, oceanic reflecting eyes shivered and allowed a little bit of the salty ocean an escape as he cried just a little. "I told you guys that I could practically smell home! And we're going to have to tell Allura to be kinder with her messages, she's a diplomat for heaven's sake!" He let out a fake hearty laugh. The man in question walked past the small team who were well into their reunion with their Lance. He ran a hand through his grown out hair and pointed to Takashi with half-hearted finger guns letting out a small  _pow pow pow_. "I'm home," The man smiled 

Takashi looked at the figure. His eyes had to be deceiving him! He never thought that this would be in a thousand years. He thought he'd be searching for his husband until he was a rickety old man. But there he was, standing and crying. Waiting for confirmation from the rest of the team that this was his husband and their family member standing not even six feet from the team. He wasn't in and out of reality, he wasn't fading away, nor passed out, not even bleeding... he was standing, proud, and with a few more grey hairs himself.

"Welcome home..." Takashi let out tears of his own, his body shaking with joy. 

"LAAAAANNNCCCEEE!!!" The team screamed. Katie ran towards Lance, trying to tackle him to the ground in her embrace. But she was too much of a mess, too glad to see him, to want to throw him on the ground just yet. Lance opened his arms for her to embrace him, her sobs drowning out what her twin was mumbling right behind her. 

"I can't believe you're home!" Katie hiccuped into Lance's chest

"It's good to see you, Katie. I'm sorry I didn't make it to see you when I was here last." Lance looked at the top of her head for only a moment before he looked towards his whole team. Keith looked like he aged a little, and he has that distinct little mark on the side of his neck that Ama likes to knaw on since she was teething last he remembered. That or Hunk had left that mark there, and Lance wasn't sure he'd want that full story. Matt was on his knees shaking, seeming like he remembered last time all too well for him to be jumping and running into Lance's arms. Hunk was just a mess. Slowly walking towards Lance, making himself seem smaller as he approached for a hug, and Takashi stood smiling like a goof. His steel grey eyes shimmered in the light almost turning them hazel with his passion, tears overflowing as he tried to catch them with the palm of his scrunched hands. "I love you all," Lance said patting Katie and Hunk's back's to signal to them to step back, "however, we kind of need to figure out what just happened and fix it." 

"What do you mean?" Katie sniffed

"Don't get me wrong, I miss all of you so so soo much, and I can't wait to tell you about everything that's happened. But our realities are combined, that's how Slav put it. That means that Zarkon just got two new Alteans. And even worse, their Zarkon might've come over too." 

Takashi tried to catch his breath as he struggled to breathe through his nose, "You've got a point. Coran is on the Bridge, maybe he has an idea." 

Lance turned back to the smaller team, who were all just staring at him now, "Shiro, why don't you grab Allura and Coran and bring them here. I don't know how comfortable I am with them being alone in the castle, especially in a universe with our version of Zarkon." 

"Okay," Shiro nodded his head and grabbed his Hunk's wrist. He pulled the two into the little pod that had brought them here.

Lance walked towards his husband and slotted their hands together, he just swallowed his tears and smiled. 

"Shiro, huh?" 

"I hate it too, reminds me of back at the Garrison. Those weren't the best times back then--" 

"You always have a knack for remembering the bad times, don't you?" Takashi pulled Lance into a hug, "The Garrison is where we met, where we all met. We formed a team that eventually got Iverson's blessing, no matter how hardcore his homophobic ass was." Takashi smiled, but it quickly turned into a frown. "Forget about that, damn it...." Tears flooded out of his eyes again, "I thought I'd never get you back!" Takashi pulled Lance into an embrace. His arms lopping around his neck, holding him close and tight. 

Lance hooked his arms around Takashi's torso and held him as close as he could. "Yeah, seems like I only had to combine our realities in order to bring me home. No biggie." 

"L.S.," Shiro called behind him. The two in the pod ready to go, Hunk was just pressing a few more buttons, "Do you want me to grab Slav too?" 

"Slav would be great--!" Matt cheered

"No, leave him," Lance said with a heavy sigh, moving slightly, not separating from Takashi

"What no! We need him," 

"Oh, we do Matt?" Lance looked at him, a grin plastered on his face, "It's your turn to watch Bean, isn't it?" 

"BEAN?!??! LEAVE THEM BOTH ON THAT SHIP!" Matt screamed after the pod

"Keith and I will show the kids around, make them comfy." Hunk commented, towards Lance and Takashi.

"Really?" Lance looked to Hunk and tapped Takashi's shoulder. 

"Yeah, showing around these three won't be that bad. There's four of us and three of them. We got this." 

"Thanks, Hunk," Lance smiled, "Takashi and I will fill Coran in," 

Takashi laughed, "and the children." 

Lance gasped, "RONNEY AND AMA!!" he separated from Takashi and pulled him by his wrist towards the bridge. The door closed behind them.

"He's as energetic as ever," Matt let out a whine. "I can stay here with Katie and we can wait for the pod to come back. We can bring the others to the bridge." 

"Sweet," Hunk gave Matt a thumbs up. He turned to the small Keith, Lance, and Pidge "Two against Three." Hunk laughed, "Anyway, I'm Hunk, and this is my husband Keith."

Keith smiled at his mini scrunching his nose, "We'll give you guys a quick tour so you know the layout and then bring you to the bridge." 

"Why not straight to the bridge...uh... Keith?" Little Keith asked

"Lance needs some alone time with Takashi and their kids. Plus, we're all hoping Coran gives him a hug like he promised he would." Keith clapped his hands, "Alright, first order of business, as you all know this is the loading bay. Ships come in and give us supplies or the Blade stops by and we all have a giant training party." Keith turned, "Onto the inside of the castle!" 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wow, this took WAY too long to update. Sorry! I am actually working on a Prequel to this (don't know if I'm going to post it, but I'm sketching out ideas to what I want to happen fully). A Short book (maybe 4-6 chapters) on Lance and Takashi beginning their relationship. I hope you guys liked this update!


	22. V is for Vows

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Universe '?'

Lance was excited--ecstatic--but he just couldn't open the door. Tsuyoshi, Ronney, and Ama were right behind this door.... but so wasn't Coran. Lance's hands were actually shaking. He didn't think that he'd be afraid to talk to Croan, but what if he doesn't forgive him? It's not like the two have even really talked, outside of missions, since Lance yelled at him. 

"Lance?" 

"Sorry, Shiro, I know that talking to Coran isn't a big deal, but it's just--" Lance paused and shivered. He looked to his right, where his husband stood. "Damn, now I'm going to need to condition myself again... Sorry, Takashi." 

"Lance," Takashi placed his robotic hand on Lance's check and brought him close for a soft chaste kiss. "I'm going to be right here with you." 

"Thank you, Takashi," 

"Plus, after this, I'm going to have to lecture you about being a martyr." 

"OOoo, you going to lecture me in our bedroom?" Lance winked

"Oh, stop that! You know we can't while the miniature team is here," Takashi pushed Lance away by his chest lightly

"I didn't know that was a rule," Lance smirked.

"Lance, I know that look. Don't make those children see me blush! I can hardly handle Keith and Hunk's understanding looks, let alone a new set of onlookers!"

"But didn't you once tell me about how you like to be wat--" 

"OKAY! We're not talking about that with our children on the other side of this door!"

Lance let out a real laugh, holding his stomach and intertwining their hands, "Thanks, Babe, I needed a good laugh." Lance turned his face to the door and squeezed onto his husband's hand, "I've got this." He talked to himself, "My boy is in there. My daughter is in there." Lance let out a breath trying to use his breathing techniques, like when Allura was giving birth, to calm himself. 

Lance waved his hand over the dash, requesting entrance. Without hesitation, the door opened. Inside the children were running around laughing about something or someone. Ronney was being chased by Tsuyoshi and Ama sat perfectly in Coran's arms as he was babbling about a weblum again. 

"DADDY!!!" Ronney shot to Lance's legs before Lance could even take in everything. Coran's face, his care, and love towards the children. Lance was assaulted by his boy clinging to his legs. 

"LOOK AT YOU!" Lance picked Ronney up, "My big strong boy! Did you take care of everyone while I was gone?"

"Of course 'did!" Ronney laughed, spreading his arms and legs out like a starfish

"Are you missing a tooth?!" Lance looked at the bright smile of his boy "You're not supposed to grow up without me!" 

"In Altean years he is much older than we give him," Takashi laughed

"No!" Lance gasped and held Ronney in a tight hug as if he were nothing more than a baby, "He's still a baby, right?" 

"I' fower!" Ronney struggled against Lance's hug

"Four?!" Lance faked surprised, "You're practically a teenager!" Lance frowned and then let out a laughing sob as he held onto his son. "I'm so glad that you're alright!" 

" 'Cause, Cran protetted us." Ronney said, in the softest voice imaginable. 

Lance opened his eyes, and looked up, Coran stood holding Ama still. She was wigging hardcore in his arms as if she wanted nothing more than to be in her father's arms. "C-Coran..." Lance hugged Ronney tight once more and handed him to Takashi as he walked towards Coran. "Coran." He repeated as if he weren't able to say anything more than Coran's name. 

"Tsuyoshi, will you take Ama?" Coran asked, very quietly. Tsuyoshi didn't say anything as Coran passed the baby to him. He stepped back, unsure if violence or love was going to be exchanged between the two. 

Coran looked at Lance, his eyes upturned and calm. He placed his gloved hand on Lance's cheek, in response Lance flinched, not expecting Coran to be gentle. 

"C-Coran?" Coran grabbed the back of Lance's neck and pulled him into a hug. Coran's arms enveloped Lance.

"I forgive you."

Lance grabbed onto Coran and sobbed. He didn't think he'd be crying the first thing he saw Coran. He thought they'd dance around each other for longer than five seconds. Lance began shaking and buried his head in Coran's shoulder. "But why?!" Lance screamed in between his sobbing, "I said---inexcusable--why?!" Lance couldn't form any functioning sentence as he held tightly onto the man that he's been so desperately trying to bond with and fighting with the younger versions on what he should say or do to get Coran to love him again. 

"You said what you wanted to hear." Coran held tighter, "You had lost your husband for the first time in your life. You were in unimaginable pain, and I didn't understand why you signaled me out. But...." Coran let out a breath, a tear falling down his face, "Once Takashi told me that Allura died protecting him. Died in general, the first person I wanted to blame was myself. I was so angry that I let her go into battle, and after I tried blaming the others and saw that it went nowhere. Everyone was in pain, everyone was hurt. After she died, I understood. You were hurt, and trying to find someone to blame because you didn't want to blame yourself and the Galra were too easy to blame... so you came to me, someone who you saw yourself in, who you bonded with." Coran separated from Lance and looked into Lance's eyes. Brushing the tears away from Lance's cheeks. "You were being remotely self-destructive. Trying to push me away. I didn't see it as that back then, but now I do. I wanted so much to blame you, and Takashi for Allura's death. I wanted to find fault in anyone after I self-destructed. After I cursed you out, looking to the stars.... that night I understood why you cursed me out and why you attacked me. I love you, Lance. You are like a son to me. You are how I wish my boys grew up, strong, loving, caring, and always there for those who care for them. You accepted Allura and I into your family and even continued the Altean line." Coran smiled, Lance's face a mess of snot and tears not stopping their descent down his face. Hiccups forming as he didn't know what to say. Lance could only move forward and cling to Coran. 

 

 

* * *

 

 

"This is one of the training rooms, the other is on the opposite side of the castle. This one is basically for hand to hand and intellectual stuff, the other is for weapons and other stuff," Keith opened the door to the training room, letting the three wander in and gawk at the training room. 

"It's so big!" Pidge jumped, "Do you guys have that invisible maze here?" 

"Invisible--no, I don't think so." 

"Sounds about as obnoxious as the invisible bullet field." Hunk commented patting Keith's shoulder. 

"THE WHAT?!" little Keith looked to the couple

Hunk beamed, squishing his cheeks together looking down to his miniature husband. "My god, I can't take you seriously." He cooed, "You're just so--" Keith smacked Hunk in the back of the head

"Don't make me jealous of a younger version of myself, hun," Keith glared, "We'll show you guys to the other rooms and we should be meeting up with Matt, Katie, and everyone." Keith walked out of the room and the group started making their way to one of the common rooms where the team would chill out and take a load off.

Hunk looked back at little Keith and let go of a wicked smirk. His eyes slanting and slightly clouding. Hunk's hand brushed against the back of Keith's neck, "The mullet suits him nicely. I kind of miss it," Hunk offhandedly commented, just loud enough for little Keith to hear it behind them. 

Keith smacked Hunk's hand away, "You know damn well why I cut it off." 

"Because you're no fun?" 

"Sure, we'll go with that." Keith grumbled, not wanting the children behind him to be subjected to Hunk's torment. "Matt and Katie should be meeting up with us soon," Keith repeated and turned a little, "This is the common room--or the living room," Keith opened the doors for a second. The room is a complete mess, "As you can see this is where Hunk, Matt, and Katie like to put up shop. Don't know why the hangers aren't where they go, but this is their general office."

"If we had junk in the hangers we wouldn't be able to get the lions out." Hunk mumbled to himself 

"What does Matt do on the ship?" Pidge asked

"Matt?" Hunk asked, looking back to her, "Well, it wasn't even a month that we were on the ship and he found a way to mobilize the robots on the ship for battles. He wired them and even made a few guards bots for when we're all sleeping. You--Uh, Katie--refused to let him on the battlefield so Matt basically controls the robots from the castle. He sends out programming orders and stuff. It's really helpful to have a few extra hands especially when we're taking down a ship from the inside. Some of the robots grab the prisoners or just protect us as we do."

"He also cooks every Forth meal," 

"Really?" 

"He and Hunk fought long and hard about it."

"No one touches the kitchen, and he doesn't even clean up after himself!" Hunk turned to Keith, "He's as bad as Katie when she's building a new machine. It's a complete mess like a Tornado appeared and disappeared in milli-ticks!" 

"I can hear you talking shit from the docking bay," Katie's voice screamed from behind the group

"Language, Katie!" Hunk gasped

"This castle is quite larger than our own, I wonder why that is?" Allura's voice called from behind Katie. 

"Damn... Lance said something about it..." Keith mumbled, grabbing onto Hunk and looking to exactly what they were afraid of: Allura. She stood just as young as when they landed on the ship. Stern and curious about everything. Her hair up in a bun like when she used to sit in the middle of the bridge with seven books open and her notes at the ready. Making sure to be prepared for anything, news and all that updated from her 10,000-year slumber. Her clothes just like her battle armor, except slightly more form fitting than what their Allura wore. 

Katie and Matt stood beside Keith and Hunk, on either side of them. 

"My apologies, Matt had warned me that some of you may have negative responses to--" 

"Coran is going to lose his marbles, Hunk," Keith said, not taking his eyes off of her, but didn't dismiss the orange blur he saw standing beside her. 

"It could be therapeutic," Hunk shrugged his shoulders

"It might also destroy him. I don't know how Lance could even--" 

"We're not going to talk about that now, we should be heading to the bridge, right?" Matt patted Keith's shoulder, hopefully, in reassurance.

"We're not done with the tour." Keith finally ripped his eyes from her and looked to the ground. 

"We can wait for that. Lance and Takashi must've talked to Coran about what just happened, and all else fails they have a Slav and Bean waiting for us back on their ship." Katie commented. 

Keith looked back to Allura. He respected her, she was so strong and compassionate. She even ran to him when she first found out she was pregnant because she didn't know what to do:

 

 

_"Keith, do you have a moment?"_

_Keith was found in a very obscure spot. Sitting right between Hunk and Katie as they were wiring something up. He wanted to train with his husband but somehow got corralled into here. He looked at Allura, she seemed to be worried, her eyes slightly tired, which was weird because she was fine yesterday._

_"Yeah," Keith got up, "Babe, I'm going to go for a walk around the castle with Allura,"  Hunk didn't answer, his tongue too far out of his mouth signaling that nothing but talk about this specific item was going to get him to pay attention to Keith. Keith walked to Allura's side and gestured her to walk him to wherever she was comfortable._

_Allura stayed quiet, looking at the ground, her arms folded in front of her in a soft embrace as if to protect her, but to also soothe her._

_"What's wrong?"_

_"I will tell you when we get to the medical area, not to worry. No one is injured. I just... need another set of eyes and ears... I do not know who to go to for these things."_

_Keith pressed his eyebrows together. Now he was invested. Him of all people? Allura could go to Kaite or Matt for Lady problems, she could even call Nyma. But then again they may not all be the same in the reproductive area. But still, the question nagged him: WHY HIM?_

_She could ask Lance, they were married now. Lance was trying his hardest to move on, there had been no sign for nearly 2 years. He hasn't totally given up yet._

_If it's about biology couldn't Coran help her? What exactly could he do?_

_"Keith," Allura sighed in her way to get his attention, "You know Lance well, yes?"_

_"Not any better than anyone else, why?"_

_"But you are most likely to keep a secret from him?"_

_"I do my best, but I can't deny that I'm oblivious and sometimes don't have a filter." Keith tried to get a read on her as they walked into the med bay. Allura laid down on the flat table, "Allura, what is this about?" Keith was getting really worried. He couldn't think of anything that it could be!_

_Allura moved one of the transparent screens over her stomach and watched as it slowly x-rayed her body. The screen showed her heartbeat, fast and anxious. Keith's brows furrowed again as he was trying to understand what she was trying to tell him. But the second heartbeat rang in his ears and he understood. The screen bleeped and then, inside of Allura's stomach, it showed a small fetus._

_"Oh, my god, you're pregnant...." Keith blushed "Why come to me?! Tell Lance!!"_

_"He will be furious, will he not? He was already on the 'fence' about marrying me, let alone having a family. Granted we talked about it, but I never thought our biologies would match up. I didn't think it would be possible to get pregnant..."_

_"He will be so ecstatic, Allura. Lance has always wanted a family. He and Takashi were going to Adopt, but you.... you're actually going to give him a child of his own." Keith felt his eyes overflow with unnoticed tears. "S-Sorry."_

_"Why are you crying?" Allura sat up worried_

_"Allura, childbirth is very magical. It brings people together and the fact that you came to get me and ask me all these things means a lot to me. But this is something which you don't keep a secret. So, you better see Lance before I do, or the beans are going to be all over the floor."_

 

 

The door to the bridge opened. 

"I think we got a plan!" Lance cheered, Ronney on his shoulders and Ama bouncing on his stomach in her preferred place with a sling cementing her into place

"Oh, I can't wait to hear it," Hunk chuckled as he walked in and messed with Lance's hair.

"Hey!!" Lance laughed, "But, first order of business is to give everyone code names, or something so that it's not confusing." 

"I call being--" 

"Nope, no one is calling dibs. We're going to use the code name randomizer--" The older team groaned, "WHAT?!" 

"That thing you made for undercover missions with the blade?" 

"They find it entertaining!" 

"If I'm Captain Bubbles again, I'm literally leaving." Keith threatened

"Why not just call everyone respectively their names?" Takashi suggested, "Last names can be for those of us that are not married. So the younger versions will only feel like their back at the Garrison."

"UGH!" Little Lance groaned

"We could do that," Lance slightly frowned, "If it get's confusing I'm assigning nicknames and name tags!" 

"The plan," Shiro questioned

"Right, so basically according to all the information that I read we're in a sort of reality limbo. Both realities are trying to find a way back and we have to help them along. To do this safely we kind of need Slav and Bean.... probably both realities... which will be a headache." 

" _But,_ " Takashi continued, "If Katie, Matt, Hunk, and Lance all work with the Slav's and Bean's we should get a solid way to revert our realities back to normal." 

"Should?" 

"In theory," Lance shrugged his shoulders

"That doesn't sound good...." Little Keith sighed

"Well, space travel was just a theory before Robert Kimblin landed on the moon." Lance laughed

"WHO?" 

"R-Robert Kimblin...." 

"I think you mean Neil Armstrong." Little Lance sassed back

"No--" 

"Agree to disagree," Takashi placed his hand on Lance's shoulder. "Either way, it's going to be a couple of rotations before we can get everything back to normal,  _in theory._ We're going to all need to eat and sleep." 

"Let's split up!" Katie and Pidge recommended at the same time

"What?" Everyone else looked at the two with their heads to the side

"While we wait why don't we bond with our other selves? This will be the perfect time to find out more about another reality. We'll never get another chance like it!" Katie beamed

"I'm sure that not everyone will want to split up with their perspective doppelgangers," Takashi laughed

"Oh, come on Takashi! Mini-me, Matt, and I can think about contacting Slav and Bean and talk and everyone else can.... can..." 

"She doesn't have a plan," Matt laughed as he looped his arms around her shoulder, "We just want to bond with Pidge." 

Pidge turned to look at the two then to Shiro, "Can I?" 

"Yeah, Shiro, can she?" Lance mocked

"I guess it wouldn't hurt to bond with our alternate reality selves," Shiro commented looking at Tankasi, " **but** we can't be blinded by the task at hand. We still have to get home." 

 

 _Home...?_ Lance thought. He looked in front of him to his family--both his families.  _Yeah, I'm already home._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I have decided on making another book featuring Lance and Takashi's beginning relationship. Keep an eye out for Tender Love within the week (I'm finishing up some editing).  
> Thank you all so much for commenting, giving kutoz, and reading this book! The end is near!!
> 
> I hope you all like this chapter!


	23. W is for Wonder

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A few things before we dive in:  
> (1) Hunk isn't sure how to talk to himself.  
> (2) Matt takes this time to talk to Pidge about something.  
> (3) Keith is disgusted. Why would his younger self do this to him?  
> (4) Lance and Takashi are back together. Lance is a little raunchy and doesn't care who knows what he says. RIP Shiro.  
> (5) Hella long chapter [6,800 ish words] (hence why it took so long to update...).

_**Hunk** _

Hunk and his mini walked into the kitchen in silence. It seemed that neither of them knew how to talk to their other self, which Hunk thought Keith would be having the hardest time with. But apparently not. So, they were chilling in the kitchen, not talking whatsoever, and it made the both of them on edge and wonder what the hell they had in common. It didn't seem like either of them had to talk, passing food to each other and silently chopping and adding the ingredients to a bowel placed in front of them.

Hunk noticed he wasn't that much taller than his mini, but his mini seemed to still be in the emotional state to eat when nervous. He didn't account the weight, but rather that every fifth slice his mini unconsciously popped in the slice of whatever he was chopping up. Hunk actually thought it was cute for a second before he had to remind himself that this was his alternate reality version. He let out a sigh. Hunk wished this was like when he and Keith were in the kitchen: a content quiet. Keith occasionally breaking out into humming and looking to his husband with bashful glances. Once the two even broke out in a knife fight. That was an interesting day of a lot of emotions. The door to the kitchen slowly opened, an almost never-ending creaking sound added to the silence. Hunk turned to the door to see Tsuyoshi looking at the floor like Keith just scolded him.

"Hey, Papa?"

"Yeah, buddy, what's up?" 

Tsuyoshi looked up, his eyes catching little Hunks and his face just lit up. All worries and whatever was on his mind vanished. "THERE'S A LITTLE VERSION OF YOU TOO?!" Tsuyoshi ran into the room. Tsuyoshi basically had stars in his eyes. "Is your name Hunk too? Do I call you 2.0? What should I call him Papa?!" 

"We're trying to call the small version's by their last names, so Garret would be his name."

"Lance usually just calls me--"

"MARIO!" 

"What?" Little Hunk looked to Tsuyoshi

"Aunt Katie usually calls me Yoshi, 'specially when she's angry. She complains too much that Tsuyoshi is too long and Uncle Lance plays a game where Mario is Yoshi's best friend! Can I call you Mario!?" 

Little Hunk looked down at the boy and then up to his elder self. He felt so overwhelmed. All he could do was laugh awkwardly and nod his head and accept. This kid was too cute. 

"Hey, Papa, can I just stay here with you and Mario?" 

"It has to be okay with him, you know I don't mind." Hunk laughed, knowing that this kid was a little too much for McClain the first time they met, let alone for someone as timid as he was at little Hunk's age. 

"Fine with me," Little Hunk shrugged his shoulders. 

Tsuyoshi didn't let the kitchen stay quiet, not even for a moment. He kept telling little Hunk stories about little Lance around the castle, and about how Ronney was being a little bugger. He just kept the motor running and no matter what he just talked like he was some sort of novel reader and was reading his favorite parts (which consisted of pages 1-200). Little Hunk figured Tsuyoshi was a lot like his Lance in the fact that when he was overwhelmed with familiar people he just had to talk. Silence was not an option because when silence was around no one was happy. Little Hunk closed his eyes, comfort in the repetitive talking. 

But then, little Hunk opened his eyes, solemnly. His eyes shifting towards his larger counterpart. Tsuyoshi... what a familiar name. Hunk couldn't stop from his brain ticking to the memory that he had walled up all too well in the back of his mind. With the repeating of that name so familiarly, the walls were easily broken down. Little Hunk looked to his older self and couldn't help but speak his curious mind. "Do you mind if I ask why you named him Tsuyoshi?" 

"Of course I don't. Name's mean everything to the parent as much as to the child." Hunk smiled, "Does the name mean something to you back home?" 

"It was one of my close friends at the Garrison. Lance and I were close to him for a while, but then he messed around with the simulator and got--" he paused, looking away from Hunk, "--himself killed... he was a hot head, but really kind." 

"You're talking about Seidou Tsuyoshi, right?" 

"Yeah! How did you know that?" 

Hunk smiled. "Seidou was one of our crew members back on Earth a long time ago. Keith and them were actually roommates for the time he [Keith] was in the Garrison. Keith brought them along to the crew after they were fired from the Garrison for coming out as an Asexual Agender who preferred they/them pronouns. Katie immediately welcomed them with open arms and Matt, who at the time was just starting Testosterone, just adored 'em. We all really liked them, and sure, they were almost worse than Keith with being a hot head, and I would never let those two go on a mission alone... but their death hit us all really hard too. Tsuyoshi is named after a really mighty person, who meant a lot to us." Hunk smiled. 

"Wait... Matt's trans?" Little Hunk looked up to his larger counterpart, confused.

"Yeah. He's more man than most of the guys back at the Garrison could ever hope to be, just because he wasn't born a man doesn't make him any less of a man." 

"I-I-I'm not trying to say that!!" Little Hunk put his hands up, shrinking himself slightly. "Pidge is kind of in that moment, right now. She's on the fine line of figuring out who she is, and she doesn't have Matt or her family to help her. We do what we can on the ship, but it's not like we can help her like her family can."

"Pidge is what your Katie prefers right?" 

"Yeah, and as of right now, she prefers she/her pronouns. But we all do keep them neutral on occasion. When we all first met she preferred he/him pronouns." Little Hunk shrugged his shoulders. He disposed of his completely sliced fruit into the bowl in front of him and grabbed a different, almost orange-like fruit and began to chop it up. "None of us ever thought to stop her from being referred to as she wanted. She especially hated being the only girl in our group, Allura is much older than her and she didn't feel like she could really get close to an Alien who has different organs and different bodily functions."

"Yeah, she's lucky to have you guys though. We learned, from when Allura began being really open with us, that Alteans don't even have Periods. Katie and Matt were livid for months."

"Are you serious?" Hunk chuckled

"They have mood swings, that's for sure, but Yeah. Like you said, Alien's don't really have the same organ make up as us. Like, Tsuyoshi, his genetic makeup is so complex and weird. He was six not that long ago but his body is growing so fast he's practically 12 now. His species grows incredibly fast until their roughly 20--or look like their 20--and then their brain catches up with them. So, before I know it my little boy is going to be all grown up." He laughed "We had to look up some things about his species, I mean we were really worried when he started throwing up one day and just wouldn't stop. That's when we found out that once every three months his species has a poisonous fungus that grows in an extra intestate, it's like a weapon but if they don't expel it in some way they'll be sick. But being with humans he didn't know that he actually had to use it. He still doesn't expel it on occasion so he's all over the toilet." Hunk smiled back to Tsuyoshi who grumbled back.

"That's kind of cool." little Hunk grinned as he also looked over at the small Alien. "Are his birth parent's around?" 

"You know what, for all I know we could've kidnapped him back then." 

"WHAT?!" 

"I'm kidding, I'm kidding." Hunk chuckled "We watched his parents abandon him. Allura told us to leave him to his own devices because we don't know the traditions of their kind. I wasn't okay with it but I listened to her. Keith, on the other hand, disappeared for hours. When I found him I thought he had adopted another lizard, but in his hands was the child we watched be put out into the sun to dry up and die. We don't know who his parents are, but they didn't want him, and we did. So he's with us now."

"Keith has Lizards?" 

"He has a weird thing for them, it's kind of cute."

"Cute..." Hunk repeated knitting his brows together and trying to focus on the apple-like fruit now in his hands which he was peeling, "How did you know... that Keith was the one?" he decided to change the topic. Taking a more serious turn to what they were discussing. 

"Are you questioning you and uhhhh..... Shiro?" Hunk snapped his fingers when he remembered what their version of Takashi went by.

"No... it's just. Sometimes it doesn't feel like he's fully on board with the idea of dating someone like me. Or someone at all. Shiro's so reserved and so closed off, I've only learned a few things and it's hard for me to be there for him if he doesn't tell me what's wrong. We've held hands and sometimes cuddle, but then I go to think that maybe he'd be better with someone else... I mean--" 

"Nope, stop right there. Been down that lane of depressing thoughts, got a really nice bruise from Keith too." Hunk looked down to his mini, "If your Shiro is anything like my Keith, he's really bad at sharing his feelings if he doesn't hear  _the_ words. I think It's called Demi--something." 

"Oh! A Demisexual: only loving someone who you have an emotional connection to?" 

"Yeah! Keith doesn't connect with anyone unless they are verbal, he can even get irritable or back off. He has crushes, trust me, but he won't pursue someone unless he knows that they like him back. He won't even date someone unless he sees a future with them. Saying that, he's a total air head. I flirted with him for years and everything went right over his head, I had to spell it out for him, literally wrote him a letter. It's not his fault that he didn't get the social cues, and still has a hard time with them. He's oblivious like that. I see a lot of Keith in your Takashi, so just, let him know how your feeling. As the good romantics always say 'if you don't use your words, they'll never know what your thinking'. You have to be the pitcher for a while."

"Oh, okay." little Hunk smiled.

Keith's voice bolted into the room: "Babe, do you need help?" 

"Sure, babe," Hunk called back not even looking to who Keith brought with him.

"Hunk!" Little Lance and Keith ran into their ray of sunshine's side and started gushing about whatever Keith had told them. Keith walked in and placed a small peck on Hunk's check, sad that he couldn't hug him with Ama in her contraption on his chest.

"I'd love help, hun." Hunk repeated and chuckled at the sight of Ama looking at the food with practical stars in her eyes.

Keith looked to Hunk's mini, it would be a lie to say that he didn't understand why Hunk was so infatuated with his mini. They looked just like they did when they started dating. Keith couldn't help but notice one of Hunk's ticks to try and hide that he was blushing. So, Keith called him out on it. "Babe, he's doing the thing you do. What were you two talking about? He's as red as a tomato." 

Hunk looked over and noticed his mini looking at Kogane and McClain. He folded his hands in front of himself and twiddled his thumbs. "Oh, the usual: Romance advice. Pitcher and catcher stuff." 

"Of Course," Keith laughed. He looked to the three, flashbacks of the Garrison and the trouble those three would get into before he got himself booted out. Man, those were some good times! "So, what are we making for the little rascals that are plaguing our ship?" 

"HEY!!"

 

* * *

**_Katie and Matt_**

The little Gremlin got away.

"ROVER!" Katie screamed, "Rover, I've got a present for you!" 

"Katie, that bastard isn't coming back anytime soon, Pidge fuck--friggin put something in him to make him go at Mock-10 away from you."

"All I did was re-calibrate him." Pidge shrugged her shoulder behind them, "I would've thought my older self and my brother would've made a more equipt machine so children couldn't rewire the functioning in five minutes."

"Oh. My. God." Katie groaned

"She is a spitting image of you at that age," Matt laughed

"You were that age when I was! She's basically us... were we really that evil back then?" 

"Why else would the Garrison kick us out?" 

"They kicked you guys out too?" 

"TOO?!" They both turned around and stared at her, like condemning parents

"We got kicked out looking for dad, what's your excuse?" Matt tried to play the bad cop, but more acted like the younger brother just waiting to tattle

"Same thing. Except I was looking for both Matt and Dad. They both disappeared and I snuck into Iverson's office. I tried to get information but I was caught before I could do anything." 

"Lance said something along those lines, and that's why they call you Pidge and not Katie," 

"Well, yeah. I adopted Pidge to get back into the Garrison and try to find more information." 

"How'd you come up with the name?" 

"It's the nickname Matt always called me." Pidge said a little confused that the two didn't know, "I hated it, but when he left for Kerberos I didn't want to stop hearing it."

"So, on your Earth the Kerberos mission was a failure?" Matt asked, sitting down crossing his legs

"Yeah, Dad, Matt, and Shiro went on the mission to go get some Ice or something. Matt and I joked too much about what they were actually getting, and besides it was an iffy mission so he couldn't really tell me all the details. They were gone for a few months, and then... the Garrison ruled them all dead, due to 'piloting error'." 

"Wow."Matt said

"What about you guys?" Pidge questioned

"Well," Katie sat beside Matt, her knees hugged to her chest. They hadn't talked about losing their dad in forever. "Dad was on a mission to... uh, who knows where. They sent him all around the world all the time. He was on the brink of something. He kept video chatting with us just so we knew he was alright but then... then nothing. We asked the Garrison and they were angry that Dad had even been contacting us." 

"Come here," Matt stretched his arms out and grabbed Pidge by her waist. He pulled her down into his lap looping his arms around her and holding her sturdy and safe. "We know it's hard. I can only imagine what you're going through alone. We at least have each other..." Matt cut off. Katie's hands were running through Pidge's hair. They felt a certain duty to protect and love this girl in front of them. This precious little being. 

"Hunk and Lance try to help, and even Keith makes it alright occasionally. Shiro tells me stories now and again about my father and brother, he was on the mission with them and all that."

"It's not the same though, is it?" Matt asked

Pidge trembled, and let out a whine, "No..."

"You'll find them. Who knows, maybe your version of Matt is a crusader with a rebellion all of his own?" 

"Don't go tooting your own horn all you like!" Katie lightly punched Matt's shoulder

"If she's a Voltron Paladin, I need something even one iota as cool as that!" Matt defended

"Thank you," Pidge sighed

"Any time," Matt and Katie said at the same time. They knew she was thanking for making this a more normal conversation. Not igniting her concerns of them both being dead and not fueling the flame to any other suspicions she had.

A small alarm went off. Not the castle's alert system but more like a 'wake up' alarm or a medication alarm. 

"Damn it..." Matt sighed

"I'll grab it for you, you two look comfy." Katie snickered as she got up and left the room. 

"What?" Pidge quirked her head up trying to look at Matt. 

"Katie is going to get my meds." 

"Are you alright?" Pidge shuffled around to get a good look at Matt. 

"I'm fine, I'm fine," Matt chuckled, "I don't know about your Matt, but I have to take Testosterone. Coran and Allura made me an alternate version so that I don't go back to Earth and jeopardize Zarkon finding it."

"Are you low on Testosterone?" Pidge's brows furrowed as she looked at her alternate-reality brother

"Pidge," Matt cupped her face, "I'm transgender." Pidge was silent. A kind of silent that wasn't bad, but the silent of her thinking and the gears in her head turning. However, it was silent nonetheless and Matt felt a little awkward having Pidge just stare at him. 

"What's it like?" Pidge asked after no more than two minutes of silence

"What?" Matt was not expecting that.

"What's it like? Being so confident in who you are and what you want to be--" 

"Woah, woah!" Matt pulled his hands away from her face and tried to real her back. "I don't know any of that. All I knew, and know, is that I wasn't comfortable being who I was born as. Mom and Dad were really chill with it because well... I didn't even act like Katie. Everyone thought we were fraternal twins anyway. They allowed me to express myself as much as I wanted. Then Puberty hit. Man that was rough, I didn't know anymore who I was or what I was. Dad started pulling extra hours on his thesis so that we could afford the surgery (if I wanted it) and everything that came with it. At the time though I felt like both, but neither. It's complicated. It took a long time, and in the process Dad disappeared. Since Dad was gone the Garrison and I got on bad terms and I got kicked out. Katie just followed because it was what she felt was right. But, Pidge, I have no idea what I want to be. At this moment I'm going with what I feel and the flow that's put right in front of me. There's a big difference in what you  _can_ be and what you  _want_ to be." Matt smiled, "Always go for what you want to be." 

"Do I hear a motivational speech?" Katie popped back in, a small pill bottle in her hand and a water bottle in the other. 

"It's trying to be," Matt laughed through his nose. Katie handed him the pills and the water and sat right back next to him. "speaking of, Katie, do you know who you are and what you want to be?" 

"Hell no!" Katie exasperated, "I mean, I know I'm Katie Holt, daughter of the MOST illusive man in this universe. But that's what I got right now," she laughed. "And right now the universe calls for a Paladin of Voltron, a defender of the universe." Katie smiled, "Did something happen?" 

"Pidge asked me what it's like to know who I am and what I want to be." 

"Psh, he's the worst to ask about that!" Katie laughed. She faced Pidge with a giant smile, "Pidge, it's okay to not know. It's okay to be 60 and still not get where you want to go with life, or what the purpose is. For all we know this war will be over tomorrow. Then what happens? We go back to earth and return to our normal lives? We stay out here and patrol like some mall cop? Who knows?! Life is a jumble of not knowing what tomorrow will bring and trying to get your hands on what will happen. Let me warn you now, that ain't gonna happen. You're not going to know. And even if you have a firm foundation on who you are and what you want to be, it's most likely going to change. You're probably going to change a thousand times before you got even a small idea, and that's totally acceptable! As long as you're doing something you love, and doing it for you and no one else then you're on the right path."

Pidge smiled. She leaned forward, her head hitting into Matt's chest. She breathed in and closed her eyes, "Thank you."

 

* * *

 

**_Keith_ **

He sat in the bridge, cradling Ama in her little contraption. He offered to watch her for Lance and Takashi. Ronney was ecstatic enough for the two of them and Keith really didn't mind watching over Ama until night time when Lance would never let any of the three out of his sight again. As wonderful as seeing Lance again was, and seeing Ama in his arms giggling, what he was staring at was not all that appealing. Literally, the one image he wished he could erase from his memory, and he had seen WAY too much in his life): Lance and him kissing. He didn't want it. Lance was a chill dude and all of that, but no matter how much McClain talked about him and Kogane being a couple, Keith could never see it. Yet, right in front of him, was his younger self and Lance's younger self sucking each other's faces. He couldn't help but look appalled, covering Ama's wondering eyes.

"If you don't want to watch, you can leave." McClain looked at Keith, with slanted eyes

"Just trying to wrap my head around it, that's all." Keith shrugged his shoulders, "You two are acting a lot like Takashi and Lance at this point, and I never thought I'd stoop so low as to be the Catcher." 

"The what?" Lance asked, watching his lovers face erupt in red

"I d-d-don't catch... usually." 

"Even more interesting...." Keith stood, holding Ama closer to himself. "Could'a fooled me." He walked towards the exit, "I'm going to go take Ama around the castle for a walk if you two want to join that's fine. But do not, under any circumstance, ' _play ball'_ on the bridge. We have guest rooms if you so desire." 

"WHAT THE--" 

"WE ARE NOT GOING TO DO THAT!" Kogane screamed, his voice squeaking in embarrassment. He stood up and sprinted towards Keith. 

"As I said when you two started, I didn't sign up to stay on the bridge, away from everyone for you two to be all over each other. I'm going to go help Hunk prepare Supper, do you two want to help?" Keith opened the door to the hallway and took one step out. 

"Sure..." The two just looked to the ground, afraid to even hold hands in Keith's look now. 

"Don't be like that, I'm not a prude." Keith rolled his eyes and walked away

"What?" 

"You guys probably get it. It's jarring to see yourself with someone who you never thought you'd be with in a million years." 

"It's that weird to see you with me?" Lance asked slightly hurt.

"You reeked of jealousy every time Hunk and I got close, you must've thought the same seeing me with another man. Plus, Lance is like a really annoying younger brother to me. It's really hard to see myself with him, especially when I've only really known Lance to like Takashi." Keith walked down the corridor, exercising Ama's arms, her fingers tightly around his pointer fingers. 

Kogane and McClain triedreallyl hard to not comment on how non-threatening Keith looked like this. But then again, McClain couldn't complain. They walked down the corridor and saw Tsuyoshi holding a small pad and walking up the wall. 

"Tsuyoshi, what are you thinking about?" 

"OH!" Tsuyoshi jumped off the wall, his feet stuck to objects only when he was in high-stress situations or needing to go to a higher place (or new angle) to think. "Uncle Coran needed the intelligence room to show his doppelganger the old Altea. Since everyone is busy with their twins I decided to do a diagnostic check on the castle ship, but I'm not quite understanding this phrase," Tsuyoshi turned the pad around, not expecting his father to stop indulging Ama in her exercise. He pointed to the lower right of the screen. "It reads like 'Klanmur' but Aunty Allura told us those were animals back on Altea." Tsuyoshi totally ignored the two behind his father as he waited for Keith to read it. 

"Hmm, well," Keith moved his mouth around in a mock pout. His mouth just molded as he tried to think, "I'm pretty sure, in this context it just means 'Mur', which is just a form of stable." 

"How?!" Tsuyoshi turned the pad back to him and tried reading it again

"The dash right before it neutralizes the 'Klan'," Keith explained, "Also, shouldn't you be helping Papa in the kitchen?" 

"I bet it's not just going to be Papa, is it?" 

"I'm pretty sure his mini is with him." Keith thought for a second. If the mini was anything like Hunk, he could be rummaging through the castle with his untamable curriosity. But, he doubts Hunk would let the mini out of his sight. 

"Really?!" Tsuyoshi smiled. He turned his body and began to sprint towards the kitchen

"Remember, though, to ask before you jump into the kitchen. Last time you almost--" 

"I got this!" Tsuyoshi called back. He was gone in a flash. Keith smiled, looking back down to Ama and taking the long way around. He knew that Lance and Takashi would be doing the same thing on the other side of the ship, so why not just take their time walking around?

"Uh," Kogane's voice pitched in, cracking slightly, "Tsuyoshi is your kid, right?"

"Yes." 

"L.S. said something about you finding him on a planet?" 

"To say it fast and simple: his birth parents' didn't want him and we did." 

"What?" 

"Growing up, I knew all too well how it felt to be abandoned by those I loved. Whether it be because they had to, or because they wanted to, was up to them." Keith shrugged his shoulders, "We were on a water-based planet, but his kind was one of the few species that lived on the sparse lands. We stopped for fuel and talked with the people of the planet--well, Lance talked with them. Hunk and I were on the ship guarding it, making sure nothing went wrong because Coran  _really_ wanted to go splash in the water or something." Keith smiled at the memory of Coran pleading to go down and swim. "Hunk and I thought we were finally alone on the castle, just talking away. It was like a mock date for us. Then, out of the corner of my eye, I saw some movement on one of the islands. I phoned to Allura what we were seeing, which was a couple placing a small child in the scorching sun..." 

"What did she say?" McClain asked, intrigued

"Well, she asked Lance to politely (as possible) ask if it was normal. Their planet apparently thrived on survival of the fittest. So, we were ordered to leave the child," Keith looked back to the two, "To die." Keith shivered, "That didn't sit right with me. Hunk and I sobbed as we watched a small child, who was not built to swim and not built for long exposure to heat, be left on an island." 

"So, you guys saved him?" 

"In the end? Yeah. I couldn't take it. Watching the boy scream and cry for his parents, try to swim but burn his body because something in the planet's water reacted negatively to his body. I was watching him die. And I--" Keith stopped walking and turned around, facing the both of them completely. They were holding hands, eyes wide with wonder what happens next, "I couldn't let him die. I told Hunk a lie, something about one of the training rooms, and took a pod out to save him. I didn't understand anything he was saying because I didn't know his native tongue. But I brought him back to the ship and tried so hard to help him. I had no idea how to communicate with him, but I was going to do my best." Keith turned back around and continued walking, "Hunk found out too quickly. He began reprimanding me, but that was only because he thought I found another lizard." 

"You have lizards?!" Kogane beamed

"Two, Lillian and Joannah. They live in the same room that our horse lives in."

"You have a horse?!" 

"Yeah, Lance and Katie actually found him at one of the malls a while back. They were selling a lot of random Earth stuff and they just gave Lance a horse. Ronney's duty is to name the horse. For right now his name is Jeremy." Ama giggled, "I know right!" Keith answered even though she didn't really say anything, "Best name ever!" 

The three rounded the corner to a large room adorned with a large table and many chairs. 

"This is the dining room," 

"It's huge!" Kogane looked all around

"Right!" McClain laughed.

To the left of them, there was a small door, mumbling and even a little bit of laughing emitted from the room. "That's the kitchen," Keith pointed as he walked right up to the door, opened it and said: "Babe, do you need help?"

McClain and Kogane jumped into the room, spotting their little ray of sunshine they sprinted into the belly of the beast and crowded around their friend. "Hunk!"

Keith followed them slowly, watching the three smile and talk to each other, even telling Hunk about the story of the boy who was sitting not the far away from them. Keith kissed Hunk's cheek and smiled at the small pout adorning his husband's face when they couldn't hug due to the laughing bundle of joy strapped to his stomach. Keith let out a sigh, he was already so tired and the socializing had only just begun.

 

* * *

 

**_Takashi and Lance_ **

Their hands seemed to find no better place to be than intertwined with another. Lance seemed to be content in listening to his husband talk about the events of the almost two months that he's been separated from him. It's not like the two to mind being separated, Lance had been on a half year mission with the blade before, however, communications were allowed. So, this was like they both were incarcerated and just released and finally allowed to be with one another... that and Takashi thought Lance was dead. So it was a little different. Lance felt like the only one fighting off intimate touches, and just taking Takashi back to their room and ravishing him, however, they had two other passengers in their little walk. Lance occasionally looked back to Shiro walking with Ronney right beside him. It was a consensus to split up and learn about the castle and then convene for supper. Poor Hunks' had a day of cooking for so many people. 

Takashi would occasionally bring Shiro into the conversation, asking him things about his universe, what he thinks about everything and anything. Lance could tell that Takashi and Shiro both felt weird talking to themselves, but in reality, who wouldn't feel weird talking to themselves? To Lance: Takashi felt like he was the happiest man alive, holding the hand of his beloved and being able to talk everything out as if it were nothing. Then Shiro, who just felt so reserved, however, Lance knew that it was slowly cracking and that Hunk was going to be able to soften the ridges to Shiro's stone heart.

 

"--then Kolivan landed in the landing bay, his ship a mess, and in comes McClain and the kids. Ronney sprints towards Kolivan screaming his little pet name for him, and then he just sticks by Kolivan for the rest of the day." 

"Lolli id da best!" Ronney cheers

"Of course he is," Lance chuckled as he looked back to his little bouncing baby boy. 

"Kolivan was really worried about you, and he tried **so** hard not to mention about the thing you two had in the past, like, he thinks I don't know. Damn, he's really bad at keeping his emotions in check." 

"Kolivan?" Shiro asked, "Are you sure?" 

"Remember, different reality," Lance pointed out, "Your Kolivan is 'the mission before feelings' where ours is more 'as long as you make it out alive, the mission is a success'. Our Kolivan has two lovers, who we're never allowed to talk about but their names rimes with face and...Cool-laz." Lance spit a little while he tried to hold in a laugh. "AAAND In your reality, everyone seems to die. Kolivan is afraid of losing people, but he just doesn't want to show he cares." 

"Oh, he cares alright," Takashi laughed, "Especially when Ronney climbed all over him and swan dove off his arm. He had a heart attack and then lectured Ronney."

"Are you kidding?!" 

"Not at all!" Takashi laughed, "Kolivan was more than happy to be a jungle gym for Ronney, those two have a bond. He even fed him while Ronney sat on his head, but once he swan dove, Kolivan mock grounded him and passed him onto McClain." 

"Well, I guess if we need a babysitter we should call Kolivan," Lance laughed, "Remind me to call him once we get everyone settled, m'kay?" 

"Of course," Takashi smiled, "He was really worried about how we'd all work while you were gone, the entire Blade babysat us." he let out a low laugh, "Oh, I was also wondering if you wouldn't mind helping me call Earth?" 

"Why?" Shiro asked, but was ignored by Lance's copy question

"Why?"

"Well.... McClain had some concerns that I started overthinking..."

Lance stopped in his tracks and looked to Takashi. He cupped his right hand over Takashi's cheek and let out a shallow sigh, a growl if he were an animal. "Overthinking is toxic." 

"Says the one whose middle name is overthinking," Takashi leaned into the touch. 

Shiro didn't know what to do. Seeing himself in this soft light was jarring, but comforting that he found someone to let down his walls so well with. He felt a twinge of hope for him and Hunk.

"What were you thinking about?" Lance asked letting Takashi's face go, and continued walking

"Calling your family to let them knew we're alright." 

"That's a great idea!" Lance cheered, "But won't Zarkon pick up on the transmission?" 

"Keith and I have thrown around some ideas at Hunk and he thinks we can stop by the Beta Tou system and use their communications to call them." 

"That's awesome!" Lance almost jumped for joy but settled at raising his arms. "Mama and Baba will be really happy to see you." 

"Yeah... maybe... if you want.... we could," Takashi looked down, "Call my folks too?" 

"Takashi, are you serious?!" Lance questioned elated, "Of course! I'm sure they'll be happy to hear that you're alright. AND we can introduce Ama and Ronney to them, I'm sure they'll love the both of them. Keith will want to talk with them too, right?" 

"I don't know, I'll ask him." Takashi smiled, happy that his husband wasn't angry at him for wanting to contact his parents. "Oh... right.." his mind wandered to him and Keith and Hunk sharing a bed. Might be best to tell his husband.

"Everything okay?" Lance looked back to Shiro, wondering if this conversation was even supposed to be said in front of him. 

"Just wanted to tell you, so you didn't hear it from the other two," Takashi pointed to an alternative route towards the dining hall, one that might take a little bit longer. "So, after you left I kinda fell apart.... and then," Takashi's grip tightened, "After Allura died, I wasn't taking care of myself, I wasn't coping. I was a mess." Lance seemed to want to say something, but let Takashi keep talking. Takashi glanced back at Shiro and semi-apologized with his gaze that Shiro had to deal with the reunited lovebirds. Shiro shook his head not minding. He'd hope he would be the same. "Keith and Hunk helped me." 

"They _helped_?" Lance's face went flat and unimpressed

"NOT LIKE THAT!" Takashi defended bumping shoulders, trying to turn the situation playful, "I couldn't sleep, and they both said that they didn't mind, and Tsuyoshi likes cuddling... so I kind of raided their bed..." 

"Oh." Lance tried to hold back a smile, "You cuddled with the cuddliest people on this ship to help yourself sleep?" Lance collected getting a nod out of Takashi, "How dare you look out for yourself like that." He smiled and tapped their hips together, "shame on you for taking care of you for once, Takashi." 

"I know, I'm the absolute worst, aren't I." Lance laughed. He pulled Takashi close to him, cupping his lips in front of them, not seizing Shiro to be able to read Lance's lips. 

 

_'Kashi, tonight I get to embrace you after two months. I know you well enough to know that you haven't gotten yourself off in two months~ Guess who's going to be extra sensitive?~_

 

Shiro's eyes exploded and he felt his face heat up, "Oh, my god..." slipped out of his mouth as he covered his face, ashamed of what he just read coming off of Lance's lips.

"Is everything alright?" Takashi turned around and looked to Shiro confused. He tried to swallow the embarrassment and the feeling of Lance's lips on the shell of his ear whispering raunchy-ass things to him. Lance, however, wore a Cheshire grin on his face, practically splitting his face in two. It was as if he wanted to remind Shiro how different Takashi and he were. 

"You... You're..." Shiro blushed, deep red and pointed to Takashi, "You're the bottom?!"

Takashi turned bright red and covered Ronney's ears, "DO NOT YELL IT!" 

"It's not like that," Lance laughed, amused that Shiro dared read his lips. However, he kind of planned that to reveal another thing about Takashi that Shiro didn't dare even think about. "He's not the definite bottom and I'm not the definite Top." Lance explains, "It depends on who feels like pitching and who feel like catching. Aaaaand it's been a while." 

"Oh, my god, Lance! He doesn't need to know our sex life!" 

"What? It's true that there are roles that some men like more than the other, but most men don't mind taking on either role. We both know which one you like."

"LANCE!" Takashi exasperated

"WHAT?! He's going to have to find out sooner or later. He is dating Hunk after all." 

Takashi's face immediately softened, "Oh, right." he even chuckled. His anger towards his husband vanished. Like there was no trace of it at all. He uncovered Ronney's ears and place him on his shoulders. They turned and continued walking towards their destination of the dining room leaving Shiro staring at them, his jaw slack. 

"What does that mean?!" Shiro called after the two, "What does me dating Hunk have to do with that?! HEY!"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry, this chapter took so long to come out! I hope you all liked it!
> 
> Just so you know: Allura and the Coran's will be in the next chapter, I didn't forget about them!
> 
> Only three more chapters to go, I wonder what will happen?!


	24. X is for Xenial

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Xenial (\ - nēəl, -nyəl \\): The adjective xenial is used to describe a friendly relationship between two parties, in particular between a hospitable host and his or her guests, or diplomatically between two countries.
> 
>  
> 
> WARNING: This kinda hits the feels a little hard, and there is vague talk about sex.

'A' Coran guided his alternate reality self and the alternate reality version of a woman who he just got used to not seeing around the castle, into the intelligence room. Basically, the room was nothing more than a bound of information and locations. After Allura and Coran woke up, they tried their best to accumulate all the information they could about how their reality had changed in 10,000 years. Every battle helped them learn all that and more. But Coran brought the two here so that if they had any questions then he could show as he explained. His words seemed to be failing him lately, and he wanted to be able to help them understand as much as possible.

"That little one that you just removed from the room, who is he?" Allura asked, watching the last bit of the child leave the door explaining in hushed grumbles that he was going to check on how the castle was doing.

"That's Tsuyoshi, Keith and Hunk's child." 

"They have an alien child?" Allura asked, hearing whispers of it before but not really realizing that it wasn't a joke, but reality. 

"Well, it's not theirs by birth, but by adoption. It is a long story, I'm sure either of them would love telling you about it." 'A' Coran smiled. "I'm not exactly sure what to talk about with you two, I'm sure we had the same experiences with Altea and Alfor." 

"I'm not so sure about that," Allura pointed out, "Lance explained to us that you were under a more tyrannic Alfor, whereas my father was peaceful." 

"Oh. Well, Alfor may have been more...  _forceful_ than other Kings, but he was trying to make the universe a better place." 'A' Coran spoke silently, avoiding eye contact with Allura as he paced around the room. A small orb in the middle of the room, connected to the ground by a thin pole glistened as Coran walked around it. He placed his hand on the orb, closing his eyes for a second. A picture of Alfor blipped up in front of the three. The picture was large, like an Earth poster board size of Alfor smiling as big as he could, his arm hooked around Zarkon who was also smiling. "I know it was wrong _now_ , and I know that the second Alfor saw the fruits of his labor murder his wife he understood how wrong it was too, but then... in the moment of science and discovery, it made complete sense." 'A' Coran swiped his hand to the right, the picture in front of them changing. Alfor and his wife at their wedding. In Altean formal wear and running towards the camera, hand-in-hand, as happy as physically possible. "We thought that it was going to revolutionize how wars were fought, how wars were won." 'A' Coran explained, then pulling up the first blueprints and sketches of the device, "Zarkon was the one to pose the question, and to an Alchemist--a scientist--it was a challenge. Alfor took it by the reigns. Almira, before she died, she was all for it. We were going to change the world..." 'A' Coran moved his wrist again, this time a video popping up. 

 

 

 

 

 

> _"Allura, listen,"_ Alfor spoke, his face on the screen as clear as day. His heart obviously broken as if he had just lost his wife no more than a second ago and his voice coarse, as if he had been screaming for hours on end.  _" I didn't mean for it to become like this! I didn't know that the product was going to... to.. kill her. I didn't... I didn't want for this to happen!"_ Alfor broke out in tears, _"I now see what I did was wrong. It should never be done again! I'm going to send you and Coran off, maybe try to get a few others to go with you. But I have to stop Zarkon here and now. I have to... I have to do what I must. I love you and Almira more than you could ever know, and I never wanted to scorch the Altean name so much that the only way to save it was for Zarkon to kill everyone!"_ Alfor sobbed  _"I'm so sorry, my dear. I'm so very sorry."_

'A' Coran paused the video. "We then declared war with Zarkon." 'A' Coran showed a brief slide show of ships intact and torn apart, fighting and death. "We fought for years. You turned of age, and offered to marry the Galra prince Ruik in order to bring peace to everyone." He shivered, "Zarkon was disgusted, killed his own son, and the war only became worse. Then, one day, Zarkon came at us with all his force and then some. Alfor knew how to stop the war, so he put you into a cryostasis and asked me to wait until he was outside of the castle to launch and go away to a planet which was neutral. But..." 'A' Coran wiped his glove over his eyes, stopping tears from tipping over the edge. "My partner heard of the plan and got angry. They got violent with Alfor for sending Allura and I away. After explaining it to them, they sided with Alfor. My children and my partner guided me into the cryopod, set the launch, and left. They all fought to make sure Zarkon wouldn't get either of us. All the while Allura and I were sent off to, at that time, an unknown location for an unknown amount of time. It wasn't supposed to be too long." 'A' Coran let out a sigh, then smiled as he made his hand into a fist and shut off the monitor, "But we lost the war. 10,000 years later we were woken up by hooligans who infiltrated our castle." 'A' Coran laughed. "The rest is a history I'm sure Lance has told you by now."

Allura and 'B' Coran were speechless. They had slightly similar departure stories, but everything before seemed to be some sort of a bad joke. A horror version of their lives. they knew that no matter what they said it wouldn't change what happened, and 'A' Coran was okay enough to talk about it which routinely meant that he had talked to someone about it. He had this realities Allura to stress about it with, he had her to vent to and lecture. He had one little piece of Altea left with him... and now all he had was the ship in which they currently were floating in.... because his Allura is dead. And the only other Altean's that are on board are either half-breeds or from another reality who can't sympathize with 'A' Coran.

"Alright," 'A' Coran looked to the wall showing a digital recreation of the time, "It is time to go eat. We can talk more later. I bet Hunk is going to whip us up something good!" He seemed to be avoiding. But that's the only other thing left for him to do. 'A' Coran is the last full-blooded Altean in this reality, and there isn't anything Allura nor 'B' Coran can do about that. The only thing they could do was smile.

 

 

* * *

 

 

It wasn’t as awkward as everyone thought it was going to be. Everyone sat in their corresponding seats across from their doubles, laughing and just talking nonsense. Recounting the events that happened while everyone was separated. Lance learned that he had to contact the Glakin clan as fast as possible and tell them that he was back and could discuss what they needed, but he was just so happy that Keith and Pidge were able to communicate with the leader and that he was patient with them with their rough pronunciations. Takashi learned that Lance and Shiro were not on good terms for a while, jabbing at each other and just at war and yelling for a while. Takashi understood, if he was that young, without his husband, he would’ve done the same thing. So, Takashi didn’t hold it against Shiro that much. Keith then joked about how Takashi was SO unbelievably uncomfortable with the idea of sharing a bed with him and Hunk, but the second he fell asleep it was like he was in his own bed. That got a good laugh out of everyone. Tsuyoshi even told the younger team stories about how McClain didn’t know how to act around the kids. How it was cute. Man, McClain tried to dig himself out of the “cute” hole so hard, but it seemed Kogane and Garrett were more than happy to indulge in calling him “cute”.

 

“I haven’t laughed this hard in a long time.” Keith gasped trying to get his breath. Holding his stomach and trying to not fall off his chair.

“Oh, really?” Hunk quirked a brow, “I’ll have to remember that for later.” Hunk nudged Keith and gave a quick wink. Of course, the younger team was completely oblivious to what Hunk was referring to, but everyone on the older team knew the second the younger team left they’d be hearing Keith gasping for air, screaming ‘stop it I love it’ until Hunk gave up and made love to him. Lance felt like he could relate to Hunk so much more now, wanting nothing more than to get the younger team out of here so he could make Takashi a blubbering mess under him and remember what it feels like to be with the man he's married to. Finally having his husband in his sights felt like such a blessing that he really wanted it to be a night to remember. Not that any of them were going to forget him disappearing and traveling to an alternate reality any time soon.

The door to the dining room opened, “If Kolivan thinks we’re going to be good to go anytime soon, he’s got more screws loose than Bean!” Matt stormed into the mess hall, grabbing a seat beside Katie and scooting it as close to her as possible. He laid his head on her lap, disappearing under the top of the table.

“I was wondering where you went off to,” Katie commented as she patted his head and continued eating.

“I thought our Bean was bad... I thought _our_ Slav was bad! Oh, boy, their realities’ are on a whole new level. Antok brought Kolivan too and for some reason, he's really moody! So, if anyone wants to feel like not only the dumbest person in the room but the least essential, I’d go to the cryopod room.” Matt talked with his hands, seemingly very upset, “hope they all croak,” He mumbled closing his eyes and letting out a really exaggerated sigh.

“Well that sounds like my cue to go and see what I can do,” Hunk stood

“You’re going to want to kill them and yourself, Hunk. Like, they’re fine on their own, but together--” Matt shivered, “Kill me.”

“I’ll go too,” Lance stood, “Takashi and Keith why don’t you finish up here and see about settling the kids into some of the spare rooms. I know we have some floating around that they could stay in.”

"Do we really need rooms?" Kogane asked

"It's just a precaution. If they don't fix it today we want to make sure that you all have somewhere to spend the night." Takashi explained as if reading his husbands' mind.

Lance cupped his husband's cheeks, “That’s my smart man,” Lance kissed Takashi and grabbed his plate. "Off we go!" Lance patted Hunk on the shoulder

"Behave!" Takashi called after the two

"NEVER" they both responded with a laugh and a jump in their step. Lance and Hunk left the room, basically racing each other to see who could bother Slav the fastest. Takashi turned to Ama and picked her up placing her on his lap. He slowly bounced his leg. He literally looked like the least threatening person in the universe. A child on his shoulders playing with his hair, braiding his white, black, and sparse grey hairs together, and a child on his lap giggling up a storm.

“You’re not going with him?” Shiro asked after the door shut.

“Why would I?” Takashi responded raising a brow and looking at his mini

“First of all, I thought you weren't going to let him out of your sight. Secondly, isn’t Kolivan a threat? They almost--”

“That’s in the past." Takashi stopped Shiro from continuing that sentence. "Kolivan and I both know what almost happened, and Lance has told me that it’s not going to happen now. Kolivan is in a polyamorous relationship anyway, his several partners don’t approve of him and Lance in a relationship because they are coworkers. Also, he doesn't like it when I smother him in front of 'strangers', and yes. To us, even if you're copies of us, you're considered strangers. I'm not going to suffocate him just yet.” Takashi shrugged, “Plus, I trust him.”

“That’s a lot of trust,” Shiro sighed and rolled his eyes. Could he ever be in love like this?

“Yeah, it is.” Takashi looked to Keith, and then back to Shiro, “To be honest, after the two years of being under the Galra's control, I never thought I’d even look at Lance again. I thought he’d hate me and be disgusted with my scars. I thought that the trust would vanish all because Sendak decided to turn me over.” Takashi smiled, “But it’s Lance. He gave me time and space and let me talk to him on my own time. He didn’t do anything with me or to me until I told him I was ready. If he can wait for me to be mentally ready, to trust that I will come back after everything that happened. I can trust him to not do anything with Kolivan." Takashi paused, placing is organic and over his chest. His body shivered a little, "If he can take a sword for me… This is the least I can do.”

 

* * *

 

Lance and Hunk walked into the cryopod room, knowing full well what was waiting for them inside. Low-and-behold, right when the entered they were welcomed by everyone yelling at everyone about probabilities and how they needed to fix this now or never. Lance felt his ear's ringing. He wanted silence so he sighed and cleared his throat getting the attention of the five inside of the room. Both Slavs look angry, but content, Bean pulling out wires from the cryopod, Kolivan looked like he gained a few years onto his life, and Antok seemed unmoved. 

Kolivan's eyes linked with Lance's. His face lit up, life almost seemed to seep into his eyes. His fur ruffled, puffing out and falling over is frame trying to show off like a peacock almost. "Lance!" Kolivan's attitude switched. He smiled a huge toothy smile at Lance. Hunk swore that if Kolivan was human there's be an unmistakable deep crimson blush over his cheeks. Hunk had to hold back all comments he had over Kolivan's overabundant love for Lance as he even dared to pick Lance up and twirl him around once. If Hunk had known any better, Kolivan's feelings for Lance had yet to vanish even the slightest. 

"Hey, Koli, how's everything?" 

"I'm very happy to see you are alright!" Kolivan placed Lance down and looked over his body. 

"I'm more than that, I'm home. I don't think I could be any better." Lance smiled, and let out a hard-pressed laugh

"Takashi had said that you received a harsh wound, but you look alright." Kolivan's ears twitched. Even thinking about Lance getting hurt was a touchy subject, apparently.

"I'm fine, Koli," Lance moved his hand to Kolivan's chest. Placing it strong and hard against the middle of Kolivan's armor. He couldn't feel a heartbeat, but it was more the gesture that counted than anything. "How are Thace and Ulaz?" Lance removed his hand.

"They are well. Ulaz is currently chasing after the Prince and Thace is, well, you know him. He wanders until he decides it's his time to come home." Hunk swallowed hard. So, he was right. Kolivan is just really lonely right now, and no matter how much he loves his two husbands, they aren't here but Lance is.

"Oh, I understand." Lance paused for a second and smiled even wider, "I love Takashi, Kolivan."

Kolivan looked very confused for a few moments. He was not sure why Lance was bringing up his love for Takashi at this moment. But thinking about the situation he then felt his fur stand up on end as a shiver skyrocketed up his spine. Kolivan shook his head and put his hands up to defend himself, "I-I-It is not like that, Lance!" He seemed flustered "I meant nothing by my actions, I just simply missed you. I apologize, I guess my time without my mates has made me on edge. I am sorry about projecting it towards you--" 

"I missed you too, Kolivan." Lance let out a breath, trying to hold back a laugh at Kolivan trying to dig himself out of a hole he didn't even know he dug. Lance decided to skip over it and pretend like it didn't happen. "The alternate version of you was so crude!"

"Really?" Kolivan tilted his head in question.

"YEAH! He was very short with me and he didn't speak to me as if he knew I was just a man, but rather a soldier." Lance cupped Kolivan's face with his right hand, "I'm glad to see you are doing well." Lance then walked past Kolivan and towards the two Slav's. "I would like to help with whatever is wrong with the castle. Could you two give me the run down?"

 

 

The twin Slavs didn't hold back with their information on what  _could_ be wrong with the castle. What they thought they could do to fix it and what they wanted to do. But every time one Slav said that they could do something the other one would argue about how that could go wrong or Bean would interject. Slav 'B' even had the audacity to claim this was the reality where they all died. 

Lance gave up, in a good sense. He watched as Hunk took his place between the Slavs and talked them through how the castle is supposed to look like, and even pulled out some blueprints on his tablet. But even for Hunk, only about ten minutes and he was standing right beside Lance mumbling, his eyebrows crinkled as he tried to hold back choking out one of them. “God, Matt was right. We’ve been in here for not even a half hour and I want to kill them both.”

“What’s the probability of changing the receiver to a TH5 series?” Lance questioned out of the blue, "The Blade has one of those for their healing machines, could we--"

“That could take months,” ‘A’ Slav sighed as he assessed what this castle looked like. “It doesn’t really look like they did anything more than what I did when I tried to get you back. However, the probability of getting this back to working is 200%, if we factor all of us dying in it.”

“What about not dying?”

“Then the probability would jump to 0%, indefinitely.”

“They think that it’s the wiring, not the rock,” Kolivan explained

“Because it’s not!” ‘B’ Slav panicked

Lance closed his eyes and grumbled. He played enough with the other cryopod that he could've just short-circuited it. _Wait._ Lance thought  _I screwed around with the wiring on the other ship...._ "What if Slav--uh not my Slav-- goes to your castle and we video chat trying to see what’s going on?”

“I don’t see what that would accomplish”

“Not having both of you on this ship, first of all,” Lance sighed, “And, we could compare the castles' systems to each other. With trying to get back home I opened up the cryopod and tried fixing it myself, so it could be partially my fault, and the lack of the castles wiring lining up.”

“I’m confused why we didn’t think of that in the first place,” Hunk whispered. They both moved and sat against the wall with their legs stretched out in front of them. For some reason, sitting down dissipated the stress the Slav's were giving them.

“Who knows, but I’m going to say it's charming. Not every day you can meet yourself,” Lance motioned to the two Slavs talking to each other about the probability and the speed that it would take to get this done. Kolivan had to walk over and tell the both of them to calm down, his and Antoks words the only ones either would listen to.

“Amen to that.” Hunk smiled. He looked to Lance, a small sparkle in his eyes that Hunk had missed so much and _man, it's too good to see_. “You’d know that better than anyone.”

“What does that mean?” Lance glanced up at Hunk

“Dude, you met your younger, angsty, unconfident self. You were stuck in a reality that we all joke about with ‘what if’s’ and you come back acting as though it is all a joke. You met yourself. You know, the you that you hide from Takashi because you’ve been focusing on his needs lately. Then your little self comes over here and tells us you’re keeping their team up and working too? Come on, Lance.” Hunk nudged him, “There’s a line when you got to start taking care of yourself.”

“I know, I know.” Lance laughed, crossing his arms in front of him, “I will when the younger team is gone.”

“Oh, you will?”

“I’ve got a reputation with them, can’t let them see me crying my eyes out as my husband calms me down.”

“Not like the team has seen you do that many times either. We see you’re uneasiness manifest into you getting yourself hurt and thrown into the cryopod.” Lance stayed quiet, looking at Hunk a little hurt. It wasn’t like he could fight it back though… it was true. “Are you alright? Because you were acting really self-destructive before you disappeared.”

“I’m fine,” Lance grumbled

“Yeah, I’ll believe that as much as I believe Keith telling me that there are only two lizards on this ship when I know for sure that I’ve seen more variations than I care to admit.” Lance looked away from Hunk and watched Antok and Kolivan literally have to tear apart the Slav’s. For some reason, their bickering felt like white noise to the current conversation. “I’m going to tell you a story, it’s very familiar to all of us, okay?” Lance didn’t respond. Hunk let out a sigh and continued, “Once upon a time there was this man. He decided to make wings so that he could fly like birds--”

“Icarus, really?”

“Don’t lie to me, Lance. You did something and you think your wings got burned and you’re afraid that Takashi doesn't want a flightless bird. There's no other reason for you to be so self-destructive and literally try to prove yourself by fighting Zarkon one-on-one.”

Lance placed his hand on his chest, closing his eyes. He slowly shook his head trying to not cry. He could  _never_ let his family see his newest scar. He opened his eyes and groaned. Reeling back and hitting Hunk's shoulder, “I hate it when you do that. You and your mind reading.”

“Keith hates it too, but you know who I think hates it the most?” Hunk paused for a second so Lance could think, “Takashi.”

“What?”

“Without you here, I could read him like braille, and you know I read braille faster than anything. He thought, just like you do, that you don’t wear your emotions on your sleeve. But we all got in the habit of doing it. I do it too. Talk to Takashi. Of all people, he understands being afraid of never being wanted again. Unwillingly being thrown at the sun, without even realizing that he was on the ground in the first place and crashing hard.”

“...” Lance sighed, “You’re right.”

“Man, I got to write that on the calendar!” Hunk joked crashing his shoulder into Lance's. “I’m here for you too, a buffer if you need it. I’ve always been ears for you and I think I’m going to have to go deaf and die before I stop.”

“Thanks, bud,” Lance smiled, “I love you so much.”

“Love you too, bro.” Hunk smiled. "One last thing," 

"What's that?" Lance looked to Hunk confused.

Hunk patted Lance's head and ruffled his hair, "It's good to have you back, I missed my partner in crime."

"Aw, I missed you too!!" Lance gushed. He looked to the Slav's, now parting. 'A' Slav and Kolivan stayed in the cryopod room and waited for the call they knew wasn't going to come for at least ten minutes. "Remeber that time at the Garrison, when you and Keith first found out about Takashi and I?" 

"Which first time?" Hunk laughed through his nose, "When Keith actually accepted it because you two were caught in the act in the office after graduation. Or that time in our second year when you two came out of the 'make-out' closet all disheveled?" 

"There--" Lance's voice squeaked, but he cleared his throat and started over, "There... was one other time," Lance pouted, remember how embarrassed he was both of those times and trying to explain his way out of not being the one banging the Garrison protegee (even though he was). "When Takashi and I were cocky enough to sneak him into our bedroom but you two were there." 

"Dude, that was so embarrassing!" They both burst out laughing

"Takashi chewed you out so hard."

"Well, it's not like any of us really expected the other to be there." 

"And we sure as hell weren't expecting to see Keith pressing _you_ down into the mattress," Lance nudged Hunk

Hunk covered his face, trying to hide the blush that exploded over his cheeks, "I had never been so mortified!" Hunk complained, "And what made it worse was how casual you were about it!"

"Everyone thought you two were fucking anyway!" Lance defended. "I think the worst out of us was Keith, he even punched me and gave me a good black eye for walking in even though it was my room too." 

"It wasn't you walking in, it was your dumb ass comment."

"PO-tato, poTATo." Lance chuckled again

"Why bring that up?" Hunk asked

"Being in the other reality gave me a lot of time to think. I remembered a lot of things that happened at the Garrison, but they all twisted into bad things. Takashi losing everything once we got married, Keith getting expelled for standing up for Takashi, you losing your engineering license for being affiliated with me, Mom and Dad being fined for allowing us to get married and keeping our relationship a secret from the state... they ruined everything for us in the future..." Lance leaned his head against the wall, "Everything wrong in our lives happened there." Lance let out a sigh and smiled, "but, everything also started there. Everything happened because of them and thanks to them." Lance suddenly got mad, his brows knitting together and he leaned forward, "For fuck's sake, Takashi told me he wants to contact his parents! It's been the better half of ten years and he now wants to contact them now? After everything, they did to him. It's like him calling up Zarkon for a chat! I never saw it coming."

"Is it such a bad thing?" 

"It's not bad, but it's like me wanting to call up Uncle Marco. That bastard doesn't deserve an ounce of my time."

"But unlike Uncle Marco, these are his parents, Lance."

"They rejected him. They don't deserve to see him again." Lance mumbled

"But," Hunk placed his hand on Lance's shoulder, "You're still going to let him call them because you love him." 

"I love him so fucking much, Hunk." Lance groaned, "Remember when I told you I was incapable of love!"

"Remember when I told you that you were only 15?"

"But it doesn't feel like 'only 15' then! You know that too! It feels like 'damn I'm 15, I gotta pull myself together'. Once you get older and older it only intensifies." 

"Okay?" 

"What I'm trying to say, Hunk, is that..." Lance looked at his best friend. Ignoring the call that Slav had just received from 'B' Slav finally making it to the castle, "I've been so self-destructive because I'm only 27!"

"What? That doesn't make any sense, Lance." Hunk shifted so his body faced Lance.

"I'm only 27 and I have a beautiful Husband and two beautiful children. I have my life together for the first time, and fucking consistently over several years! It didn't feel right, so like a drama queen, I needed to do something to try to throw my life off balance. I hated how everything seemed to go so well for me, I can speak 50 some odd languages, I have the best dude as a friend, I have Keith on my side and not strangling me, I even married Allura! It felt so wrong to have everything so right! I felt like there was nothing right about having everything I ever wanted. No one gets everything they've ever wanted!" Lance let tears fall down his face. He didn't even know he was on the verge of tears.

In one swift move Hunk grabbed Lance and hid his face in his chest. Hunk knew better than to let Lance's crying face be shown, it's not that he hated crying, but hated what other's thought of him crying. "It's okay," Hunk rubbed his back. "I didn't mean to make you cry."

"I-It's not you. I needed to fucking cry..." Lance grabbed onto Hunks shirt breathed in a few times and continued, "I was running head first into danger because I needed to know that this wasn't some fucking dream. That if I got hurt, that I'd wake up and Takashi would still be my husband," Lance's voice wavered, the tears coating his eyes and his mouth over salivating, "I wanted to know that this was real... that's why... that's why I tried dying. I couldn't believe that my life was this perfect, this amazing.... And now look at what that accomplished... Allura is _dead_."

Hunk ran his hand through Lances hair and soothed his words down into sobs. Hunk knew that if Lance got on that tangent right now, Hunk would be a sobbing mess too. Lance let out a couple of whimpers. Hunk stood, knowing full well that they needed to get out of this room and to get Lance to Takashi. So, he carried Lance and left the cryo-room to go to one of the common rooms. Hunk just let Lance sob in his arms as he carried him towards the common room, even passing Katie and Matt who walked in the direction of the cryopod room to help the two. Hunk shook his head at their questioning looks and mouthed 'later' to them. Because like hell he wasn't going to tell everyone about what Lance had just dumped on him. _Fucking up his own life because it seeming like a dream, who does that?!_  Hunk thought to himself.

Hunk opened the door to the common room with a little trouble. The door slowy slid open, any resemblance of a conversation dissappated upon entry. Sitting on two separate couches paused in thought were both of their husbands.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Writers block really got me this time, I'm really sorry it took so long to update. All I knew for this chapter was that Lance was going to cry, and boy did I I finally let him cry!
> 
> I hope you all liked this update! Only 2 chapters to go!! Thanks for reading!


	25. Y is for Yearning

Takashi and Keith had settled the younger team into the three leftover makeshift rooms, Pidge, Garret, and McClain agreeing to share a room, Kogane and Shiro being in a room right across from them and then Allura and 'B' Coran sharing a room. Keith and Takashi had decided to chill in the common room and wait for Hunk and Lance to tell them that they had everything figured out and that everything would be fine in X amount of days. Like those two always did. Katie and Matt decided to go try and help them, or at least take all the heat off of both the Slavs. Takashi and Keith were just getting comfortable as they heard muffled sobbing on the other side of the door. 

"What--?" The door opened and there stood Hunk, basically in tears himself, holding Lance who was curled into a tight ball outright sobbing into Hunk's chest. 

"Hunk?!" Keith and Takashi both got up and rushed to the two who entered the room

"We were talking, and I asked him about his martyr complex." Hunk said quickly

"Why would you--" 

"We all were thinking it the second we saw him, I had a minute to ask him and well," Hunk shrugged

"You traitor" Lance sobbed poking Hunk's chest and practically jumping out of Hunk's arms into Takashi's. 

Takashi carried Lance over to the couch and sat down, situating Lance on his lap. Takashi held Lance tight, a slightly sadistic part of Takashi radiated at the comfort from Lance and the fact that Lance wanted him while he was weeping. It has been a long time since Lance was home a small part of him worried that Lance was going to go running to the other team for comfort.

Keith looked to the couple. It had been all too long since Lance and Takashi were reunited. It felt like too long for Lance to even have this breakdown, it's been all of a couple of hours since he was back. Keith knew that'd be way more than enough time for him to break down and coddle his husband. "Well," Keith cleared his throat, "We'll leave you two alone. We will go back and help Matt and Pidge." Keith nodded to Takashi and left with Hunk hand-in-hand. 

Lance curled as much into himself as he could. He balled himself up so well that he could hardly breathe, but he felt safe. He wanted to close his eyes and sleep, he might actually get in a good fucking night's rest with Takashi's sent now encompassing him. He took the time to take it all in, the slight hint of coffee that clung to Takashi's clothes with its last strand, his roasted cashew scent mixed in with a hint of that warm winter morning air that smelt just so specific to, well, home. Lance's least favorite season had to be summer, pealing everything off and still never being cooled off, the only good thing about summer is having his husband bare chest giggling like a school girl and getting splashed in the ocean. However, like a blessing, winter would freeze his bones and throw him and Takashi under the same blanket even at work. So, the smell of winter, somehow emitting off of his husband really cemented the feeling of 'home'. 

He let out a laugh and covered his face. 

"Oh, my god. Remember that really bad storm back home and we were all stuck in the office? Seidou dared Keith to lick Matt's zero-gravity metal pen and Keith fucking got stuck to the pen..." 

"Those were much simpler times." Takashi huffed. He adjusted himself and in suit Lance on his lap. Moving them so they were laying down and Lance was back to the back of the couch and smooshed between his husband and the furniture. Takashi ran his hand through Lance's overgrown hair while a small string of silence stretched out between them. Takashi sighed, "Are you going to tell me what you told Hunk?" 

"I don't want to. I didn't even feel like it was me talking.... I just kinda spoke and broke down."

"Which is good." 

"I guess...." Lance started playing with a little zipper on Takashi's tanktop jacket. 

"Lance," Takashi warned

"Fine," He sighed, "It's going to sound stupid, I know it does. No one does this sort of thing--" 

"Babe, you know I'd never say it would sound stupid." 

Lance held his breath and closed his eyes. He pressed his head against Takashi's collarbone and let out his breath, "Fine..." He grumbled, "It felt wrong to have everything I wanted. Even though we were--and are--in a war, even though Lotor betrayed us, even though you got kidnapped... I felt like this was all just some dream..." Lance closed his eyes and sighed

"So you wanted to either wake yourself up from the dream or make it so ingrained in your brain that it was a reality." 

"Wait, what?! You too?!" 

"I was captive for two years, babe. I thought that Sendak's betrayal had to be all faked! I was dead set on it, but a dream never lets you out because you want out, you have to find the magic switch to get out. So, I tried to find the switch, and after a few months of looking for the switch I got angry and played along with the 'dream'. Only then did I realize that it wasn't really a dream." 

" _Fuck_ " Lance rolled his eyes and shivered, "We're those fucking girls from high school. Creating unnecessary drama for the snap back to know that we're still fucking alive." Lance groaned. 

"Not quite, but kind of." Takashi moved Lance's head so that he could cup his face, it was cramped and awkward but he'd rather die than ever not be able to comfort his crying husband. "Not feeling like this is real, is normal. It was eleven years ago when I had to make sure that you were really in love with me and faked being mad at you for a month and created--" 

"NO, YOU DID NOT!" Lance gasped and pushed Takashi towards the floor in a feeble attempt to push him off of the couch. "I was worried for MONTHS, even after the fight, what I had done wrong!" 

"I know, you think you're the only one to be this dramatic? Keith's even done it once or twice with Hunk." 

"We're all insane, that's the only explanation." 

Takashi laughed and smirked. "You sound a lot like my husband," 

"Oh, do I now?" Lance sassed back

"Yeah, he tries to be logical, but then his father's genes kick in and he has this incredible urge to destroy everything around him... including himself." 

"Sounds like a self-destructive husband," 

"Definitely," Takashi frowned, his eyes dropping as he seemed to be fighting off tears. "But that doesn't mean I don't love him any less. We all have things that we don't believe that are real, and in our stowaways lives it seems that they are all bad. Like, they've been through a lot in their short lives, so they have to try and create good. We're the opposite. It's only natural to try to make something happen in your life, but it's not like we have a bar we can go to and wreck shop. We have everything here. That's both good and bad." 

"Fuck, I miss your rationale."

"I miss you, too." Takashi pulled Lance in for a soft chaste kiss. Takashi wanted to hold Lance there for an eternity, but knew with the pitter-patter of fee outside, getting louder, that their moment was over. "Sounds like we got guests," 

"I'm going to kill them." 

The door to the room they were in slid open, the small version of Katie stumbled in, fixed her glasses and jumped with joy. 

"I think we figured it out!"  

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The last chapter is next, I really hope you all liked this book! Also, I'll have you guys notice that I deleted Tender Love, a lot is going on and I didn't want to attach myself to another really long book just yet. I'll be making one-shots again, for the MHA (BNHA) fandom and some for Voltron when season 6 emerges. Thank you so much for sticking to this long ass book!


	26. Z is for Zeal

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wow. I'm so sorry it took me a whole three (plus) months to update this. I didn't think summer would get in this much of the way for me writing the last chapter for the book. I'm quite shocked. I explained on my [Tumblr](https://oya-script4.tumblr.com/post/177269401517/im-sorry) what happened and all of that, if you guys want to reach me there that's the best way to request anything or to ask questions. I will be posting new books there too if I remember this time. 
> 
>  
> 
> Anyway, enjoy the last chapter of TLA!

Lance and Takashi sat up, looking confused at the small child. Pidge seemed just so elated to tell them, but they were in the middle of a moment... not that she could've known... Lance had all he could do not to scold her, but he had to remind himself one of the others probably sent her here to tell them that everything was potentially fixed.

"You figured what out?" Lance looked to her in confusion, _Cause it sure as hell can't be our current predicament..._ he thought to himself

"Aren't you supposed to be in bed?" Takashi asked, "I'm quite sure that's where I left you."

"I couldn't just sleep! Plus, I heard other me and Matt talking about helping out with the alternate reality shift and I decided that it was better for me to help than to sleep." Pidge crossed her arms, "Everyone else thought so, too."

"Everyone else?" Takashi stood dragging his hands down his face, "I swear, this castle was already full of fools who don't listen to me..."

"Hey!" Lance jumped up to that statement and playfully punched Takashi in the shoulder. "Not everyone is a fool." He chuckled.

"You're right," Takashi gently smiled, "I still have Ama."

"Pidge!!" Garrett's voice rang through the hall, "Lance touched something and I don't know what's happening!"

"What did he do?!" Pidge turned and high tailed it out of the room. She was done waiting for the two lovebirds to take this seriously anyway and telling them was all older Hunk's idea anyway. More of a formality than anything. They already had too many hands on deck as it was, they sure as hell didn't need another overly flirtatious pair helping them out.

"IT WASN'T ME!" McClain fought back loudly

Lance sighed. He placed a hand on Takashi's shoulder and walked past him towards the exit, "Guess we gotta go help, too."

"Don't think that this is over. Tonight I'm going to cuddle you so hard." Lance held back a comment that crossed his mind, there were children in earshot that may or may not hear his comment. Plus, he wasn't sure if he could handle what his comment would insinuate. It's been too long since him and Takashi had even talked about being intimate, let alone actually doing it. He joked earlier to rile up Shiro, that boy was practically born with a stick up his ass. But now, thinking about it. Looking at the man he loves. He's not sure he wants to do anything more than cuddle. "You okay?" Takashi's voice brought him back.

"Ye-yeah." Lance cleared his throat. "Let's go help... we can finish this later." He and Takashi walked beside each other walking towards the cryo-pod room that he just left.

He hadn't really given any more thought to him and Takashi being intimate. He liked rilling up Takashi with the occasional insinuation, like earlier, but they haven't done it since he opened up right before Ama was born. They were too busy with everything. He doesn't even know how Takashi will feel seeing his body. All the new scars, like Takashi, knows they're there... but they'd definitely ruin the sexy mood. Takashi hasn't even seen the full-blown scar that covers his chest and overlaps the scar on his back. The injury that started all of this. The injury that brought him to a family that didn't know who he was, took him away from everyone he loved. The scar that made him hate everything about himself, that still hurt to a certain degree. His fingers itched to gloss over the scar to remember Zarkon's smile. Remember the slow piercing of the blade... the last time he saw his wife and mother to his and Takashi's children. The pain in Takashi's eyes... the memory of the worst decision he could've made because he was still trying to understand that this was really his life and not a simulation that the Garrison made. It was hard... Everything he had done to make himself so sure of who he was only made it harder to love who he currently was.

Lance let out a breath and cleared his throat. He had to focus on the current dilemma and then he could worry about everything else after. Looking to Takashi he knew that no matter how much he wanted to ignore everything, that Takashi was going to be there for him to talk it though. He knew he still needed to grieve Allura, which he was not looking forward to...

"Lance!!" Pidge's voice condemned

"I did nothing!" McClain snapped back. "Big Keith asked me to grab him something and I handed it to him--"

"Do not blame me for--"

"Alright, everyone simmer down," Takashi called from beside Lance. Now looking into the cryopod room. The lot of them arguing as to who started up whatever light blue hue was undulating in the middle cryopod.

"I believe we've got it." 'B' Slav's voice called over the coms. He was more or less talking to 'A' Slav who was still working away and ignoring the arguing.

"Well, everything seems to be in order, all we have to do is find the capacitor or something with a 15% compatibility rate of not driving this whole ship into a bomb, and then the portal should open."

"The what?" Lance and McClain asked at the same time

"Oh, is the arguing done with?" 'A' Slav looked behind him

"Nevermind the arguing, what portal?"

"Well, you see, in order for our realities to combine we had to leave a footprint in order to get back to either reality. It seems that we are in between realities. Neither in ours nor theirs. The other realities Slav and I have configured the ships to be able to project the teledov into making portals back to our individual realities."

"I thought we were in our reality?" Takashi asked

"If we were wouldn't the access Altean energy set off Zarkon?" Slav asked

"That's what we thought, but he--"

"It's not like he takes vacations, Takashi," Keith commented. "I was thinking it was weird that we hadn't been attacked yet. But I thought it was just my paranoia." Keith shrugged.

"Well, once my alternate reality self and I find a sort of capacitor to be able to transmit the coordinates of each reality for the duration of the jump them we should be able to--"

"Wait." Lance's eyes went wide. He looked to Takashi and then to Shiro. Gears turning in his head. "Damn it...Takashi, I know you'll be fine with it because Katie and Hunk would be able to make another, but Shiro.... your arm has the exact coordinates needed to head anywhere in your universe. Ours would be, assuming I'm understanding this right, different. Slav, would connecting Takashi's  and Shiro's inorganic arm to lay out the coordinates work?"

"What? Lance!" Katie complained

"Yes! That would work, good thinking Lance!" both the Slav's congratulated.

Takashi sighed, knowing what this was going to do was totally incinerate his arm. They had tried to use his old arm for a really big jump, which worked a LONG time ago, but destroyed it. Katie and Hunk salvaged some stuff from one of Matt's missions and conjured up a replacement arm that was almost identical to the one he had.

"That's not going to work again, Lance!" Keith lectured.

"We won't know unless we try, Keith," Lance sighed

"Last time that incinerated Takashi's arm and it took us  _forever_ to make another arm," Katie commented, not really angry but more pointing out the painful task that it was for Takashi to reconnect the nerves and get used to a differently sized arm. If they had a quarter for every time Takashi knocked something off the counter and broke it they could buy Zarkon's surrender. 

"What if we try and their arms are gone and we haven't moved an inch in progress?" Keith interjected. Lance looked to the ground, "Exactly, We're not putting Takashi's--and little Shiro's--inorganic hands at risk just because it worked once for a teledov jump."

"Slav said it would work, babe," Hunk interjected

"Slav says a lot of things, Hunk. I'm not going to--"

"Well, why don't you find out a way to bring us back to our reality, since I'm so _incapable_ of thinking of a plan!!" Lance yelled, turning around and stomping out of the room.

"Where did that come from?" Katie asked sinking into herself

"He's just stressed..." Takashi put up his hands, "We all are. Let's just turn off the power in this room and call it a night. Maybe with a fresh mind a good night sleep we can all look at this with new eyes and come to a conclusion." Everyone in the room nodded their heads. "Since we're between realities and not in our reality, you seven can go sleep on your ship and just reconvene here at O' 800 hours. Okay?"

"Thank you... sir," Kogane mumbled. The seven younger children wiggled their way out of the awkward atmosphere and walked towards the landing bay, where they would all get into their ship and depart for the night.

Takashi slowly walked behind them, giving them enough space to gossip and complain without him hearing anything that they were saying. He opened the doors for them when the time came, and waved his hoping goodbye that everything would be settled in the morning. That everyone would be well rested and okay.

 

* * *

 

Takashi walked into his room, knowing that after he checked every other room for Lance that he was going to be in their room. Lo-and-behold, curled on the floor holding one of Allura's favorite stuffed animals with a nearly impossible name to pronounce staring at the bed was indeed his husband, "Lance," Takashi breathed out in joy that he located Lance.

"Takashi, I don't want to talk about anything," Lance grumbled

"So, you don't want to talk about you exploding back there?"

"I didn't explode..."

"Oh? So what do you want to call it? A hissy-fit?"

"I have no idea what to call it..." Takashi smiled and shook his head. Staring at his husband curling on the floor wasn't going to be how they spent this night. His first night back in their shared room, his first night with his husband back at home. They weren't going to spend this night grumbling.

"Listen, sunshine," Takashi walked into the room, the noticeable difference in the consistency of the air slightly alarming, but something he'd fix later. "why don't we just go to sleep and worry about everything tomorrow?" he tried a different tactic.

"How about you go to sleep and I can brood over here." Lance snapped back in a sharp and practically silent tone.

Takashi let go of a heavy sigh, dramatic but Lance could understand what he meant without saying anything. Takashi decided that they were going to need to talk about something, if not the big things at least what happened earlier. So, he decided to sit beside his husband. He slid his back against the wall down, putting his arm around him and pulling Lance a little closer. "I love you, Lance," Lance said nothing, a single sigh just escaping from his mouth as he melted into the touch. "Since neither of us is going to get any sleep tonight, or so it seems, why don't you--"

"I just want to cuddle, Takashi." Lance closed his eyes and turned his body a little so that his entire right side was connected to Takashi in some way.

"It would be best for the both of us to talk about it. I mean, I avoided it for so long that I got lost in my nightmares about it." Lance didn't respond with any more than his hand tightening on Allura's stuffed animal. "I even pissed myself and Keith had to help bathe me because I was in such bad shape."

"Holy Fuck, Takashi. What the hell?!"

"Exactly. So, to avoid you falling into that, why don't we talk about it? It doesn't have to be the big thing, but you can just talk about whatever is on your mind."

"Can't it wait until tomorrow?"

"It could, but what fun would that be? You're refusing to go to sleep and there's nothing better to do right now, sooo..." Lance rolled his eyes, let out a heavy breath that felt like it expelled his hearts deepest thoughts, and stood up. Takashi followed.

Lance slowly walked to the bed and sat down with a gentle worry that he'd break it, or break the memories that it held. He slowly crawled to the middle of the bed and said nothing. Takashi knew exactly what he wanted. Takashi touched the bed for the first time in what felt years and met his husband in the middle. Moving their legs and arms so that each encompassed the other in a ball of affection and a cradle of confidentiality. Lance was the Kola and Takashi the tree.

Lance let out a breath and his hands had let go of the stuffed animal somewhere in the mix of limbs. He placed his hands on his husband's chest, moving them up and down his chest in a slow memory dance. "You're all muscle now." Lance laughed. There was a small pause. Takashi didn't want to pressure too much, he knew that Lance would eventually get to it now that he knew that Takashi was going to listen. Takashi massaged Lance's scalp and played with his hair a little bit as he waited for his husband to figure out where to start.

About an hour later, Lance breathing hard, his mind obviously turning gears with what he wanted to say, or what he was deciding he was going to say, he stuttered out his sentence.

"Allura,” He trembled at saying her name, tears threatening to roll down his checks already, “was always there for me. She knew in the beginning, when you were lost, that I wanted nothing to do with her. I wanted nothing to do with any of them, but that's beside the point." he shrugged. "she didn't try to be my friend. She tried to make me talk about my feelings, she acted like Iverson--drilling into me and telling me I was being dumb and whatever I was doing was wrong... I was an idiot in her eyes, the dumb one... I hated that. I hated her. I yelled at her, made her cry, destroyed my relationship with Coran, and made the entire castle awkward." Lance bit his lower lip, looking away as he played with the hem in Takashi's night time shirt. "But after that, after everything was in the open... she changed. She started to make sure that she acted more like a team player and--I know you don't want to hear our love story, damn, sorry."

"No, Lance, go on." Takashi encouraged. He didn't think this was what Lance was going to talk about, but it was something--someone--they both needed to face. Takashi had started to heal, Hunk, Keith and Tsuyoshi were wonderful cuddling partners and they had done quite the good job and bringing him back to reality from his nightmares. He had a lot to thank them for. 

Lance smiled as he continued, "She started helping me look for you. She started making sure that I ate, that I slept... and it just kind of blossomed. I hated myself when I kissed her for the first time. I hated loving her because you had to still be out there, you were still alive in my mind. One year past and I didn't want to give up but--and I never told you this--Zarkon showed us a clip of you getting badly injured. A 'death' video, if you want to call it that. That made me give up. I fell right into Allura's love. We ended up having Ronney and before I knew it Kolivan had intel and we were right back on the bandwagon of going to save you."

"Lance, I--"

"She was our world Takashi. She created our children, she was there when the both of us vanished without answers... and now, she's gone?" Lance rubbed his face into Takashi's shirt. "It doesn't seem real. How... did she die?"

"Lance, I think it's best that you don't know."

"Takashi, please, I want to know," Lance begged

"Lance," Takashi warned, "I don't think--"

"WHAT HAPPENED TO--" Lance choked back his voice, "--What happened to our wife, Takashi?"

Takashi looked into his husbands' eyes, and cradled his face, he looked away ashamed. "We went on a mission to Arunk. There had been intel that Sam Holt was a prisoner there. The intel was good, it was from someone we knew a few missions back. Everything went wrong, it was a trap.... and we were very outnumbered. An ion cannon shot us out of the sky and Allura and I fell down to the planet. The tower began to tumble and I somehow got out... but Allura was stuck inside. There was gas and a flame, we had no idea of how long she had." Takashi let tears drop down his face, "Hunk grabbed me, as per her orders, and dragged me into my lion. We just... left her there." Takashi let one hand drop from Lance's face and gripped his t-shirt in pain. "By the time we were back in the castle... the tower had exploded and she was gone."

"It's... all my fault." Lance shivered, his eyes wide as if he realized something

"What? No, Lance, there's nothing you could've done!"

"I could've told you that it was a trap!" Lance wailed, to Takashi’s surprise, "Arunk is a trap," Lance said quieter, "Arunk is deadly. I could've stopped you guys from going if I hadn't challenged Zarkon and gotten myself sent to another universe! I could've saved her!"

Takashi looked at his husband, eyebrows rolled up in concern and scrunched down to solidify his confusion. “Lance, even if you were here,” Takashi tried forming an excuse right off the tip of his tongue, ready to try and calm Lance, “who is to say that we would’ve listened to you?”

“Because, unlike the younger team, you all aren’t out to get me!” Lance exasperated, “I wouldn’t have let you go on the account that I’m never fucking losing you again. I’m never letting that happen while I’m still alive.”

“I know--”

“And unlike the younger team, you aren't going to undermine me and make me feel like--!” Lance stopped his sentence. Biting his lower lip to chew on and try to stop talking.

“What are you talking about?” Takashi separated, about an inch, from Lance. He grabbed his shoulders and tried to force Lance to look him in the eye.

“Nothing… I’m tired… can I sleep?” Lance looked to the bed, refusing to look at Takashi. He realized he wasn’t going to get too much more out of his husband tonight. Though his turmoil still pooled with Lance blaming himself for Allura’s death because he could have said something if he wasn’t in another dimension, reality, thing.

Takashi reluctantly laid down with his husband. Curled into each other, and hoping that their own overwhelming scents would diminish Allura’s, no matter how bad they wanted to smell her and remember her and keep her memory alive… they were going to need some good sleep in order to deal with the children versions of themselves tomorrow morning. For what seemed like an eternity, Takashi was finally able to sleep with his husband beside him. The last thing he looked at before he fell asleep, was his husband's face.

 

* * *

 

Surprisingly, everyone had a very good night sleep. Takashi knew that Lance had left at some point in the night to go for a little stroll, but other than that they both slept through the entire night! Lance woke up more well-rested than he's been in literal months and Takashi felt like he was sleeping on a never-ending cloud that held him tightly. That's just how he woke up like nothing had changed. Lance holding him dear and close to him, head shoved into his husbands' chest and humming a little song as he traced his fingers across Takashi's chest. It was like a blessing that he never wanted to end.

"You don't have to wake up right now, Takashi. We've still got three hours until the younger team is going to show up." Lance sang along to his hum as he tried to lull Takashi back to sleep.

"Three hours is enough time for me to snuggle the fuck out of you." Takashi wrapped his arms around Lance and brought him onto his body. 

"Oh, how romantic," Lance laughed in the hug. There was a small silence as Lance relaxed his body on top of Takashi's and laid his chin on his chest to look up at his husband. "I missed you... I missed this. I missed it so much more than when I ever went on a stupid Blade mission or anything ever in my life."

"I missed you too, especially when you're mini came on board."

"Don't bring them into this, please." 

"Why? They're real, they're here..." Takashi looked to Lance, "Did something happen between you and them? Did one of the mini's try something?!" Takashi sat up too, his worry obvious on his face

"God no!" Lance deflected, sitting up and getting off of Takashi. "They just weren't you guys."

"You said something last night about them undermining you and making you feel like something." 

"I don't care anymore, Takashi. I'm just glad to be home, okay." Lance looked to the ground and then to his husband. Rolling his eyes at Takashi's puppy dog face Lance leaned in and gave him a chaste kiss. "You're mini hated me, that's all." Lance shrugged his shoulders. "And that sucked. He didn't even love me--or his version of me. It felt like, in the same turn that you didn't want me anymore and... I don't know, it cemented how much I'm so head over heels for you."

"Takashi, Lance, Hunk is making breakfast. You guys coming?" Keith knocked at the door

"Of course, be right there!" Lance cheered. Lance moved towards the closet, he was definitely due for a wardrobe change, his hands quickly grabbed the hem of his shirt and he almost got the shirt up to his ribs before he shoved it right back down. He'd forgotten there was... his scar and that was the last thing he needed his husband to see right now. 

"Lance?" 

"Nothing!" Lance smiled as he grabbed a shirt and pair of pants and sprinted to the bathroom. 

 

* * *

* * *

 

 The miniature team had called around 7 o'clock. Shiro on the screen, looking tired and a little angrier than yesterday, talked to Keith, Hunk, and Lance about what he thought may be a better solution than sticking his arm into a ship and never being able to have another arm again because fuck that. So, Shiro proposed to the three, and the Slav's present, that they use backup information drives melded with the core of the castle. It had the same properties of holding locations as Shiro's arm, however, it would be able to survive the insane amount of melding and it was located right on each ship already in place. The three agreed that it was a good plan, and Keith and Hunk had to try and not call out Shiro on belittling Lance for coming up with a "childish" plan. To which they just hung up on the small version of their leader. An hour after the call Shiro and the rest of his half-pint crew walked onto the ship with Coran babbling about something to his alternate before they made it to the cryopod room to solidify Shiro's plan. 

They walked into the room, Takashi, Lance, and Katie standing adjacent to them while Hunk, Keith, Matt, and Slav stood in front of them. Keith's arms were crossed and Hunk had whispered a caution to him before Keith stepped forward and talked about the plan that Shiro had come up with.

"The only problem with the plan, as of right now, is that the castles have to know their current location in order to jump to another. Your Slav is configuring your ship right now and ours has been running a diagnostic since Shiro told us the plan." Keith tried to keep calm

"So, what do we do in the meantime?" Shiro asked, calmer than this morning

"We could talk about how rude you were to Lance this morning."

"Keith, let it go," Lance mumbled

"Babe, don't start this." Hunk winced

Shiro stood strong in front of Keith, his chest practically puffed out at the challenge. "I'm not starting anything," Keith stared Shiro down, "He asked, and I answered."

"What is he talking about?" McClain asked

"Nothing," Lance intervened, walking out between Takashi and Katie. "Keith didn't mean anything by it."

"You're just going to take what he said?!" Keith raised his voice

"It's nothing he hasn't said before," Lance grumbled out. "It means nothing, and that's the end of it. We don't need to--" 

"He's belittled you before?" Matt joined in

"I haven't done anything!" Shiro battered back

"Alright, that's enough!" Katie yelled. No one was talking, but she wasn't about to watch as everyone she loves blows up.

"We just have to wait for the castles to configure, if you guys want to you can wait on your castle and jump out of here once it's done." Hunk gestured with both of his hands. 

"Okay," the smaller team echoed among themselves. They walked out of the cryoroom, the doors shutting behind them. 

"Lance, are you just going to--" Lance walked towards the door almost immediately after it closed. It was as if a string were holding him back. He looked almost as if he were going to knock on the door to ask for it to open back up. "--what are you doing?" 

"I have to say goodbye..." He looked back to his family, the family he was finally reunited with. His loving husband, his doting sister, and brother, his duo of best friends in the entire world. His world. His love. He smiled back at them. "I can't let them leave after a fight, I can't... I don't hate them. I'll be right back." Lance sprinted out the door. 

 

 

 

"WAIT!" Lance called after them, glad to catch them all out of the pod. 

"L.S.?" They all turned and furrowed their brows 

"I came to say goodbye." Lance straightened his back and smiled with tears fogging up his view. "I love you guys, and I know that the crude comment earlier and the lack of sleep was your way of dealing with this. But I have to stay here. I can't go with you. But," Lance pulled out something from his pocket, Takashi meeting him on his left side. "We can still talk." In Lance's hand sat a golden communicator with light blue accents around the rims and black letters and symbols scattering across the screen. "I woke up last night and snuck out of the room while Takashi was sleeping like a log. I talked to Slav and Coran about an interdimensional communicator. Slav said it was possible as long as--you know what, it was complicated. He said a lot." Lance laughed as he walked towards the other team. He placed the communicator in Shiro's cupped hands like he was afraid he was going to break it. "Call me, beep me, you know... if you want to reach me?" Lance shrugged his shoulders as his other hand lifted up to his face to show another communicator twinning the one Shiro now held. The seven crowded around Lance and held him in the center of a group hug. Sobbing and wished 'goodbye' were mixed into the cluster as they apologized for everything and promised to call about anything big. Pidge even teased about all the gossip she'd tell him. There were lingering touches, none wanting to actually leave, and the last cusp of what they would see as everyone waved and gathered into the pod. Lance and Takashi held hands as the pod left the hanger and the hanger door closed.

"You got attached." 

"I got  _really_ attached," Lance held Shiro's hand tighter. "Even though Shiro didn't like me, even though all the yelling and everything that happened... I still love them, I still got connected to them."

"Lance, babe, there is nothing wrong with that." Takashi pulled Lance towards the door of the castle so that they could rejoin with their ream, to go check when they could jump and see how they were even going to jump without Allura. They'd done it a few times with her residual energy, but this was going to be a big ass jump...

"I know, but, it's weird for me okay?" 

"Weird for you to connect with another living being, imprinting on them, and then wanting to protect them with your life? Oh, that's totally not you at all."

"Hey!!" Lance pushed back against his husband. Lance looked behind him. The pod of the smaller team gone and the bay door closed. He looked to the ground and then to his Takashi who was facing forward. "We'll be okay, right?" 

"Of course we will be. And you don't have to worry abut them. You gave them a communicator, so this won't be the last that we hear from them. Trust me, I know this team too well."

Lance looked back again, a smile creeping on his face. 

 

 _Until next time._  

 

 

 

 

 FIN.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is the end... Thank you so much for those of you who've read through the whole thing!! This took me much longer than I thought but life is funny like that. I'll still be posting one-shots here and there, and maybe a one-shot of an update on Universe 'A', maybe an Explicit once shot where Lance and Takashi finally have some alone time without the overwhelming idea of getting the younger team back home (and Takashi finally sees the scar), but I'm not sure. Anyway, thanks so much for reading and sticking with me even though my inconsistent updates!!


End file.
